I Don't Give Up That Easily
by mandolin28
Summary: Rachel returns from her New York visit a week after Finn put her on that train. She gets her turn to speak and forces a compromise that takes them both on a journey full of love, intrigue, and the revelation of some long hidden secrets that threaten to rock Finn's world. But, through it all one thing remains solid... Their love and commitment to each other.
1. Chapter 1

**So, I am grieving for our Finchel. The way I interpret her trip, though, it was just a visit. She wasn't gone forever, yet. This is how I imagine her first day back. Please review! It helps me keep going!**

"I was wondering how long it was going to take you to knock," he said softly when he opened his front door and set his gaze on his reason for living.

He had been inside watching her through the window as she stood staring at the door, raising her hand to knock every few minutes and dropping it again while mumbling to herself.

"You knew I was out here?" she asked incredulously as a slight blush fell over her cheeks.

"Yeah. I just wanted to let you make up your mind about whether you wanted to see me."

"Oh, so now I am allowed to have input on decisions that pertain to me?" she wanted the words back as soon as they left her mouth. She sneaked a glance at him to see his eyes shut and his chest full of the inhaled breath he was holding,

Almost in a whisper she said, "I'm sorry, Finn. I shouldn't have said that."

They stood in awkward silence for what felt like an eternity. Both of them looking left, right, up down, anywhere but into the eyes of the other. He cleared his throat.

"Um? Do you want to- I mean if you- Do you want to come in?"

"I don't know," she said matter of factly.

"Do you want me to come out there?"

"I don't know," again, identical to the first.

"What do you know, Rach?" He asked gently, leaning one elbow against the door frame and leaning down slightly. He understood her reluctance to continue what he could tell she regretted starting.

"I don't know," and this time, the words came out in a sob. His arms were wrapped tightly around her as his large hand cradled her head to his chest before she could even register what was happening.

"Shhh. Baby, I'm right here. Just don't cry. OK? I'm here," he spoke against her hair and stroked her head. Her arms tightened around his waist and she tilted her face into his neck to breathe him in as she let him comfort her.

"Come inside with me?" he asked in an almost whisper. He could feel her head nodding in agreement and he walked her inside, keeping one arm wrapped tightly around her. He led her to sit with him on the couch. She sat in his lap as he pulled her to him like a small child. Her arms were wrapped around his neck where her face was buried. Her body shook with her crying. He moved to pull her back to look at him, but she clenched her arms tighter.

"I have spent a week not knowing if I would ever be in your arms again," she said in a voice so weak he could barely make out the words. "So, if you don't mind, I just want to stay here for a little while."

"I will hold you for as long as you need me to," he said and leaned his head over to meet hers. He ran his hand over her side in a comforting gesture as they both sat in silence just listening to their breathing. When she finally lifted her head, they just stared into each other's eyes, not really knowing what to say. She leaned her face toward his and paused before her lips reached his, her face silently asking permission. He granted it by meeting her in the middle. Their lips met. It wasn't heated but the softness carried a passion much deeper than heat. Her hand came up to cup his jaw as they just remained there- lips joined, hearts tethered. When they broke the kiss, their foreheads remained touching. After a painfully long silence, Finn finally asked the question that had been haunting him since 4:25 last Friday afternoon.

"Rachel, what are you thinking?" he asked, already dreading the answer.

She pulled her head back and looked at him thoughtfully.

"I am thinking that I am so mad at you I could scream. I am thinking that I have never felt such gut wrenching pain as I did when I realized what was happening in your car. I am thinking that being without you, even these last few days has been excrutiating." He winced at her words and opened his mouth to apologize but she continued, effectively cutting him off.

"And, I am thinking that putting me on that train was the most unselfish, valiant, extraordinary display of love anyone will ever show me as long as I live." He opened his eyes to see her smiling warmly up at him.

"And, I am thinking that enlisting in the Army isn't the only way to honor your Dad, but if it's what you feel you need to do, you have my unwavering support. And, I am thinking that putting me on that train was the most unselfish, valiant, extraordinary display of love anyone will ever show me. Finn, I get it. I do. But, you don't need to force me choose between you and New York. I will be keeping you both, thank you very much. I want it all, and damn it, I plan to have it. Because, you are mine and I am yours whether we are in the same city or state or country for that matter. The only thing I want in New York is Broadway and the only person I want in the entire world is you. I will wait, but I won't let you go. I won't. And you can't make me. As someone once said to me, I don't give up that easily." She reached up to wipe away the tears that were streaming down her cheeks.

"I-"

"No. I'm not finished. You got to speak last time. It's my turn. I may not get to have you close physically, which makes my body hurt at the very thought, but I don't need to. I will miss your body. I will miss your arms and your smile and your voice and your heat and your scent. But, I can handle a physical separation. What I can't live with is not knowing you are mine and mine only. I can do what I need to do as long as I know we are together. And, Finn, this isn't just about me. It's not just that you in my life is as essential to my survival as air. You are going to need me, too. What you are going into is going to be so hard. I want to be there for you like you always are for me. I want you to know that while you are in basic training, searching for some way to clear your Dad's reputation, that I am right there. You can get through the difficult times knowing that I love you and I am so proud of you and the boy you are and the man you are becoming. Finn, I don't ned the universe to tell me if we are meant to be together. We are meant to be together. I am 100% sure of that," she said smiling so sweetly reminding him of his earlier question. I am what waits for you on the other side off all of this. You need to know that." His tears were flowing with soft shaking sobs and she was steadily wiping them away. He laid his head over on her shoulder and she returned the head cradling gesture he had offered her on the porch.

"I love you," his words came out in a choked sob as he kissed her cheek. He placed his hands on either side of her face and held her steady so he could look into her eyes. "I am sorry I made you cry. I am sorry I made you think that I was breaking up with you. That was never what this is. Baby, I have no intention of living my life without the full knowledge that I will end up in these arms." He dropped his hands to caress her arms to make his point. "Everything was just so rushed and I had to get you on that train. I couldn't make you fully understand. We can do our own things, but don't think for a second that I have any intention of cutting you from my life. You are the reason I get out of bed in the morning. The reason for everything I am. The reason for everything I want to be. I don't know when we will be in the same city for good, but I know that it will happen. You have a world to conquer and I have to make sure that our son can be proud of his Grandpa and our name."

"Our son?" She smiled a real smile for the first time in a week. The words coming out of his mouth hit her straight in the heart. Their son. He really did have that much faith in them.

"Absolutely," he smiled right back, interrupting the vision she was having of a dimpled little smile and a freckled nose and a thick mop of hair.

She reached down and took both of his hands in hers. The Rachel Berry look of sheer determination took over her features and she looked him square in the eyes."We can do this, Finn. If anyone can, it's us. The way we love each other is a once in a lifetime kind of love. And when they make a movie about my life, it will make for an excellent running theme. I mean, you racing against the train? Oscar contender!" They shared a laugh and it had healing powers. "But, as we surrender, can we make one promise?"

"What's that?" he asked, amusement still on his lips.

"No matter what happens in our future, nothing tears us apart. Nothing takes away our some day."

"Baby, you've got a deal." And he kissed her. He kissed her like it was the first time and the last. He kissed her in a way that would assure her of his love. He was kissing away their apprehension. It was more than a kiss. It was a promise.

**AN: I am thinking about making this a multi chapter story that will carry us through the summer, taking them on the journey that will eventually lead them back together. But, only if people are going to read it. So, if you'd like to see that, let me know. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you all for the wonderful reviews! We can all heal together! :) They are the reason I sat down today to update so quickly. Your thoughts and encouragement motivate me to find the time to write! With a husband and two small kids, it is challenge. But I have to know that Finn and Rachel are OK... even if I have to write it myself! Enjoy!**

"Sooooo, how was it?" He asked brightly as he took another slice of pizza from the box.

"It was OK," she said with a shrug.

"OK? It was OK. It's New York, Rachel. City of your dreams, and all you've got is OK? Last time we were there I recall you loving the wet smell and going on and on about how the water must be magical." He smiled at her trying to get her to cheer up a little. They had spent the afternoon holding and crying and hashing out, and now he just wanted to enjoy her company.

"Well, Finn, to be honest, I wasn't in the mood to enjoy it." She noticed him wince and part of her was satisfied with his guilt. "I mean, we chose a dorm, so that's good. I got a single room because I was there so early. But, I couldn't stop thinking about you. I was in shock for the first three days. My Dads took me to see Newsies and I just kept picturing you as the lead. I don't know. Maybe when I go back I will feel it. I already feel better just talking to you. I can do this as long as I know you aren't ending things with us." She took a small bite of her salad.

"Rachel, I am so sorry I made it seem that way. I needed you to get on that train. I need you to get your dream. I was scared and devastated. I didn't know if you would come back because I know how much you love New York." He looked down at his soda and she could hear the words that were unspoken.

"I love you more," she said quietly. "And I will always come back to you. Always."

He gazed at her for a very long moment. How did he think he could ever let her go? Maybe he was insane.

"Finn, about the Army?" She looked at him through her lashes, afraid of this part of their conversation.

"I'm not actually enlisting." He saw her visibly relax and blink back her tears as she lifted her head toward the ceiling and blew out her anxious breath.

"Thank God." She sent him a sympathetic smile. This she could manage. Cropped hair, desert terrain, and bullets flying at the head of the man she loved she could not.

"But I am going to Georgia. It's where my Dad was stationed. I have to make someone listen to me. I have to find people who knew him. What I am doing from here isn't enough. I know you probably don't understand why I need this so badly-"

"Finn, I probably understand it better than anyone else in your life. Even your Mom." Her face was dead serious.

He looked at her in confusion with his eyebrows furrowed and his mouth half open not quite getting how that was possible.

"I spent my whole life not quite whole because of a missing parent, too, remember?" Her voice was soft and her tone was gentle. "I know what it's like to need to know more about them. And, in your case, to find out that what you thought you knew was a lie. To have to live knowing who he was was tainted by a few bad choices? I do know why you have to do tis. I just wish you had talked to me about it before."

He had never put those two things together. Why had he never put those two things together? Just another of the many things that tethered them.

"I've never thought of it that way, Rach."

She put her salad aside and moved his plate of pizza. Getting up from her place on the floor, she moved to sit beside him on the couch. She sat cross legged next to him facing him. She placed her hand on his shoulder.

"I know. Why did you feel like you couldn't talk to me about this, Finn? Could have saved us both a week of pain. Of course I want you to get closure on this. Even if would have meant postponing our future. I am so touched and proud of you for being a man who wants to honor the man who gave you life." He smiled shyly, still unsure of how to receive her adoration after all this time.

"I just didn't want to upset you." He laughed at the irony in his statement and it wasn't lost on her either. "I didn't want to burden you, either. You didn't know about NYADA when all of this came up when I got my letter of denial. You were still dealing with your audition disaster."

"Finn, you have to give me more credit. Once upon a time I wouldn't have wanted anyone else's problems while I wallowed in my own, but that was before you. I don't care what is going on with me, good or bad... I am your best friend above all else. You have to let me be." He nodded in agreement and flashed his half smile complete with dimple. There was a long silence between them as they both pondered different things. He was thinking about how thankful he was that she came here and that he would have her support through all of this. She was thinking about the day her would return to her.

"When are you leaving?" She asked almost inaudibly as sadness filled the space between them once again. Just because she was accepting the separation did not mean she was not breaking apart inside about it.

"I haven't decided, really. I have some more research to do and I have to save some money."

"You have $1,000." The look on her face was one of total love for this man. She was really beginning to understand why he needed to do this.

"Rachel, that's for our honeymoon..." He said getting uncomfortable as the subject came up.

"That we aren't taking..." She felt a mix of grief and desire to help him all at one time as the finality of the words fell from her mouth.

They shared a moment. Eyes locked, listening to the words they weren't speaking. It was a fringe benefit of having a soul mate. Sometimes the most difficult things didn't need to be spoken. When someone could read your heart, there was no need.

"We will some day," he said, looking down at the small glimmer coming off of her left hand as he took it in his own. And tears fell from her eyes as hope sprung up within her. Just a week ago she was on a train bound for Broadway leaving the other half of herself standing on a platform because he loved her too much to let her stay. She spent a week thinking it was over. That he was going to war and she would never see his beautiful face again. But, now? Now, she had a some day.

"But, Finn, who knows when that will be? We can save it again. We may have real jobs by then. My Dad's will be willing to spend more on our wedding because we will be older."

"Rachel, part of that money is yours. I am not going to take it so that I can run off to chase a ghost."

"Finn Hudson, you look at me." He followed her orders, which he had to do, because she had his face locked in her hands. "First of all, what's mine is yours. You are the only person on earth that I share anything with freely, so take advantage of it." They giggled together. "and secondly, the sooner you realize your dream, the sooner I have you back with me. Where you belong. I want to do this for you. You love me enough to make me go away... I love you enough to make you take this money."

Finn couldn't contain it any longer. He had sat all afternoon, through the gut wrenching parts, the hope restoring parts, the laughing parts without doing it, but now, realizing that he didn't have to lose her for them to achieve their goals. Knowing that this was just a pause in a long lasting love story. Understanding that some day was possible, he just couldn't hold it back. He surprised her when he lunged at her, wrapping his arms tightly round her waist and pulling her as close to him as he possibly could. His lips crashed onto hers and she responded in kind. She came up of the couch and into his lap. She opened her mouth to let him taste her. Their kisses were wet and hot. They were making up for a week without kisses. They were filling in for a future with limited kisses. And they were reassuring each other that this would never be over. She sucked on his lower lip drawing a groan from his throat. And his hands gripped her waist even tighter and ran his hands down her hips to grip the smooth thighs on either side of his lap. They broke the kiss, panting to catch their breath.

"Take me with you," she breathed against his neck.

"Rachel, I can't. You have to go," he answered pained, breathing heavily against her hair.

"I know," she sat up to look at him directly, "but it's June. I don't have to be in New York until the end of August. Let's go now. You can get a head start on your investigation and I can help you. I want to help you. You have been so instrumental in helping me grasp every star I reach for. Let me do this with you. Even if it's just for a little while. I can question people while you look for a job. With the thousand dollars and your graduation money, we can get you set up in an apartment. Oh, Finn, please take me with you. I promise I will go to NYADA and I work my tail off in August, but we can have the summer at least." Her eyes were pleading and her excitement was electric.

"Rachel, what about your Dad's and your friends? You want to spend your last summer at home in another state?"

"Finn, I already told you. Home is wherever you are. I was ready to marry you and move to New York this summer. Why not Georgia?"

How had he gone from chasing a train with his heart in his throat watching her cry uncontrollably to actually considering what she was suggesting. He started to think that maybe he wouldn't drag her down because she was giving them the freedom they needed to accomplish things on their own. And maybe they could do that without ending them.

"Finn? Come on. It will be fun. We will be like Castle and Beckett, except without the dead bodies and stuff and more military oriented, but still. And just think of the fun we can have in an apartment all to ourselves... miles from anyone who can interrupt us." Her voice took on a seductive tone.

He would like to spend the summer with her. And God knows, he would like to have the kind of fun she was suggesting. Looking at her face, so eager, so full of life, so unlike the one in the train window.

"OK. We'll do it." he said quickly as she threw her body around him squealing loudly. He pulled her body back to look at her face. "Rachel, thank you. Thank you for the money and the ideas and the inspiration and for loving me enough to force me to come to my senses. I love you more than anything."

"Say it again," she said with a smile.

"I love you," he repeated and moved toward her soft lips.

"Again," she said just before his lips touched hers.

His breath hot against her and his lips pressing on hers he honored her request. "I. Love. You."

And they kissed again, picking up where they left off. Air was getting scarce around them and his hands had smoothed over every part of her body before coming to rest under her shirt massaging her breasts tenderly as he worked her mouth over with his tongue and she ground into his hips before they were startled by the surprised gasp of Carole Hudson-Hummel.

"I am so sorry-" she had her eyes covered with her hands, "I didn't know you'd be here, Rachel."

Embarrassed, Rachel dismounted the woman's son and assured her it was OK.

Opening her eyes to see her son smiling for the first time in a week, tears came to her eyes when it dawned on her what she was witnessing.

"Please tell me this means you came to your senses, Finn, and you see that you don't have to be over to achieve your goals."

"Yeah, Mom, I get that now. Rachel showed me that I was an idiot."

"You are most certainly not an idiot," Rachel interjected," you just love so much it causes you to make bad choices." She stroked his cheek and he smiled over at her. Here he had cause her the most pain she had ever felt in her life and she was defending him against himself. She was incredible.

"So, I take it you've talked about Georgia?" Carole asked hesitantly as she came to sit in the chair in front of them.

"Yeah. We did. And about that..." he stole a glance at Rachel who was beaming and nodding her head enthusiastically. "We are going to spend the summer there before Rachel has to be at NYADA. We are going to leave tomorrow." He looked at her again to make sure she was OK with that seeing as how it was the first time a departure date was mentioned. She nodded once in approval.

"Honey, where are you going to get the money for a move like that? I know you got money for graduation, but you were going to save this summer. We just can't help you with something like that."

"Carole, we are going to use the money we saved up for a honeymoon. Finn doubled it when we won Nationals and I want him to use it to live on while he tries to clear Christopher's name."

Tears filled the older woman's eyes as she was struck with just how much this woman loved her son. When Finn was a baby, she would pray that he would find love one day. Someone who would take care of him and look out for his best interests as she had always done. And, watching the girl in front of her gaze adoringly at Finn, pull him back from the edge time and time again, make him see his worth, and love him unconditionally, she knew her prayers had been answered.

"This isn't going to be easy, Sweetie."

"I know, Mom. But it's worth it."

She rose from her chair to kiss his forehead and Rachel's as well. " I am so relieved that you two worked this out. Finn, you were so miserable. I will help you with gas money and Burt will service the car before you go. Your Aunt Lisa is just an hour from Fort Benning, I will call her and ask her to help you find a place to stay."

Finn leapt from the couch to spin his Mom around the room as Rachel smiled up at them and laughed.

"Thank you, Mom. I will come home as soon as I get an honorable discharge out of them."

"Hurry, then. I know someone who is quite anxious to have you back, maybe even more than me." And she left Finn and Rachel alone.

Finn walked her to her car. He leaned her against it and kissed her slow and deep. He pressed his body against hers and she could feel what she was doing to him. He lost himself in her. He stroked and tasted and breathed her in. He didn't have to let her go. He was taking her with him for ten weeks. She supported him and loved him.

She pulled back to look into his amber eyes and she played with the hair at the back of his neck while he stroked her cheek with the back of his hand.

"I'll see you tomorrow morning?" She asked with hope filled eyes.

"I'll pick you up at 8:00," he answered with a toothy grin.

"I love you, Finn. We are going to fix this."

"I love you, too, Rachel. And when you say it... I believe it."

She stood on her tiptoes to leave a searing kiss under his jaw before getting in her car and driving away.

**AN: Well... I think I managed to talk some sense into our Finn. I understand what he did, but I also think there is compromise to be found. I hope you enjoyed this continuation. I think a road trip to Georgia and an investigation will be a fun way for them to spend their summer, don't you? Who knows what they will find out? Please review! **


	3. Chapter 3

**Are you ready to go on the road with Finchel? Thank you so much for your reviews! They make me happy! After all the gut wrenching sadness of last week, I want them to have a fun summer. They will have some angsty moments, but they are young and beautiful and I want them to have the time of their lives. Enjoy!**

Her bags were packed and she was sitting on them waiting for him by 7:45. He pulled around 8:30 and took a moment for his own amusement. He was so thankful that she was too stubborn to let him destroy them both. He had done the noble thing. The selfless thing. She had made him see it wasn't necessary. He didn't know how long it would be until they could continue their life together, but he was thankful that he had her all to himself for the summer. He couldn't help but laugh at how prim and proper she looked, sitting with perfect posture.

"Hey, you!" He called as he shut his car door and started over to her.

"Good Morning!" She said cheerily.

She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck hugging him tightly. It was funny how since they got what they thought might be the last glance of the other, hugs carried so much more than they used to. The simple act of holding the one you love in your arms, not having to let go until you are good and ready, suddenly took on a whole new meaning. He kissed her cheek as he released her, lingering there taking in her scent.

"How did your Dads take the news?" He asked apprehensively, glancing at the front door.

He wasn't worried about what they thought of him. They had held him as he cried while telling them his original plan. They felt so fortunate that their daughter had a man in her life that would put her needs above his own. And ironically, it was his detailed plan to let her go that finally made them realize the depth of the love between the two young people. This was no ordinary high school relationship. It was the kind of love that lasts forever in people who meet later in life. These two had just found their soul mate on an accelerated time table. It was that accelerated time table that was causing them problems, but sometimes you can't choose when love enters your life, but Rachel was damn sure gonna decide when it left. And it wasn't now. It wasn't ever. But, just because her dads loved him didn't mean they would like their only daughter moving away with him for the last ten weeks they had her at home.

"Well," she began slowly, keeping her hands on his chest as he spoke, enjoying the feeling of his long arms wrapped around her body. "At first, they were against the idea. Mostly because they would miss my last months at home. They love you, by the way, and they know how destroyed I was in New York. They finally caved when I reminded them that if it hadn't been for your sacrifice I wouldn't even have their last name right now." Finn winced, losing his eyes and hanging his head. Rachel lifted his head with her hands. "Don't you dare, Finn Hudson, no regrets. I will be Rachel Hudson some day."

"I thought it would be Rachel Hudson-Berry?" he said smiling shyly.

"It was, but that was before I spent 167 hours thinking becoming your wife was no longer a possibility. And before I came to understand your feelings about your Dad. I dropped the Berry last night. I want you to know that no matter what you find out about your Dad, whether they give him honor or not, I honor him. He put you in this world and for that, he will always be a hero to me. I will be proud to have your name. His name. And our children will have his name. I don't want it to have to share the spotlight."

And Finn lost it. He cried harder than she had ever seen him cry. Harder than when he found out about Beth. Harder than when he was told his football career would end in high school. He clutched her so hard it was almost uncomfortable, but she didn't stop him. She was witnessing the release of all he had felt for the past few weeks. He had needed his best friend and she was right there.

"God, I love you," he managed to choke out between sobs. "Thank you, Rachel. You have no idea what you just said means to me. I want to give you a reason to adore me like that." His face was buried in her neck and they had sunk to a sitting position on her porch as she held him against her stroking his hair while he cried.

"My reason is you, Finn... just you." She kissed the top of his head and he reached up to touch her face.

He kissed her with everything he had. The kisses were urgent and filled with an all consuming need. She received them and reciprocated them. They were running out of air and their lips were red and swollen when he finally released her.

"Now... let's go restore our family name!" She stood swiftly, taking his hands in hers and trying to pull him off the ground. He stood, wiping his tears and laughing at her as she turned in determination and marched toward the car leaving him to grab her luggage.

When he finally made it into the driver's seat after three trips to the porch and back, she had already synced her ipod with the radio (songs they both knew, songs he loved, good duets, and a few songs she could sing just for him), and some Broadway so he could learn a little), broken out breakfast (fruit and juice for her, home made breakfast sandwich and milk for him), and gotten the GPS ready for the drive (695 miles, 11 hours and 44 minutes). She also had a clip board where she had planned their stops and meals along the way. He was very thankful for her Type A ways.

He sat behind the wheel in her driveway. Just over a week ago, he had sat in this very spot. His stomach churning, his heart breaking. The last time she had been in this position, she had her heart crushed. He felt the need to resolve that fact.

"Are you thinking about what I'm thinking about?" he asked softly, glancing at her from the side.

Her wet eyes answered the question. He simply reached his arm around her and pulled her close.

"Let's make a pact. Nothing but happy memories in this car for the rest of our lives."

She sniffled and giggled at the same time and nodded her head. "Deal." She shocked him when she spit in her hand and offered it for him to shake. His eyebrows rose and he laughed and did the same.

"What on earth possessed you to do that?" he said, totally amused by this out of character moment.

She shrugged. "Saw it in a movie, thought I'd try it. And I know how stupid you feel when Kurt makes you pinky swear."She swiftly pulled the hand sanitizer out of her bag and insisted he use it as well.

"You are one of a kind, Rachel Berry. I think we have good memory number one." He said as he turned to back out out of the driveway and she leaned over to kiss his cheek.

"WAIT!" she screeched and he slammed on the brakes, sloshing his juice in his lap.

"WHAT? Did I run over someone else?" He asked in a panic.

"No. Sorry. I need to get a picture," she said sheepishly.

He tried to contain his frustration and calm down the adrenaline that was coursing through his veins.

She stroked his shoulder, reminding him to breathe and then pulled his head toward hers. She gave him the camera because his arms were longer and had him snap a picture. Then he kissed her lips and snapped another one.

"Now are we ready," he said with a smirk still very close to her face.

"Yes."

"Are you sure?" He leaned in closer.

"Yes." She closed her eyes waiting to feel his lips again.

"Great," and he turned his attention back to the road. She smacked him and he laughed. She playfully pouted until he leaned over and blew a strawberry on her cheek. This was going to be the best road trip ever.

A little over two hours into the drive, Rachel needed to pee. Finn found the first exit with a bathroom sign and they pulled in to the cleanest of their choices. They were in Cincinnatti and Rachel had a little surprise in store. It was the first of many along the way. If they were going to be spending the majority of their time apart for the next who knows how long, she was going to make this summer one they would never forget. They came out of the restrooms and Finn wanted to go snack shopping. Rachel informed him that she had all of his favorite snacks in the car and they didn't need to spend any money on frivilous items. He was allowed, however to buy a soda for himself and a water for her. When they got back in the car, she presented him with an idea.

"So, Finn, we aren't in a huge hurry, right?"

"I guess not, why?" He took a drink of his soda and then turned the key in the ignition.

"Well, I am hungry for one and I know you are, too because your stomach has been growling since Dayton."

He blushed a little. She was right. He was starving. She continued.

"So, let's find a place to stop and eat. And then, I thought maybe we could go to the mall. My Bubbe gave me money for graduation and told me to spend it now and not save a dime of it because she wanted to live long enough to know what she bought with it," seeing his confused expression she added, "the drama gene is strong in my family." He laughed and pecked her on the lips.

"That sounds like fun, Rach. Where to first?"

They ate at an Olive Garden near the mall and got their money's worth out of unlimited soup, salad, and bread sticks. They should make a "Finn clause" on those kinds of offers. Rachel decided they should just walk over to the mall, giving Finn a chance to burn some of those calories. When they got there, they went to several shops. She let him choose a new lotion and body spray for her that he liked. She bought new sandals. She could tell that he was kind of itching to check out the video game store, so she suggested he go play while she finished her shopping. He kissed her, verbalizing how awesome she was, and ran off like a middle schooler who was just given ride tickets at the fair. She shook her head affectionately, checked her watch, and hurried off on her mission. She stopped at Victoria's Secret where she picked up a little something for Finn and continued on to the sports apparel store. When she returned to Finn a little while later, she was dressed from head to toe in Reds team wear. Hat, shirt, foam finger. And she held a jersey and hat in her hand for Finn. He dropped his controller and followed her out of the store.

"What's all this?" he asked with a smirk, flicking the foam finger she was proudly displaying.

"This is for you," she extended the jersey and cap which he accepted happily.

"Thanks, but why the sudden interest in baseball?"

"Well... at 4:00 the Reds play the Tigers at the Great American Ball Park, and we have tickets. I thought we should dress for the occasion!" She smiled up at him, so proud of herself for surprising him. The look on his face was priceless.

"You are the coolest person on the planet!" he shouted as he picked her up and spun her around.

"Yes, I am... now let's get going! I don't want to miss tip off." She pulled his arm around her shoulders and started walking them out of the mall.

"Baby, that's basketball. First pitch. You don't want to miss the first pitch."

"That's what I said," she mumbled, jabbing him in the side when he laughed at her.

They arrived at the stadium in plenty of time and found their seats. They weren't behind home plate or anything, but not bad for short notice. Rachel was appalled by the butchering of the National Anthem and wondered aloud if they would let her redeem it. Finn told her it never hurt to ask, but not to worry about it because she would get her chance. And at a World Series game, not some regular season nonsense. Then he thanked her in advance for taking him with her on that night. It would be the only way he would ever get tickets to a Series. She smiled shyly at his confidence in her. Baseball wasn't hard to follow, but Rachel found it dreadfully slow at times. She preferred football. But that had more to do with her favorite quarterback than the actual game. But, Finn was loving every minute. At the top of the ninth inning, a foul ball was hit in their direction. Finn reached out and caught it with ease causing Rachel to leap up and attach herself to his face as if he had caught the moon. She quickly fished her camera out of her bag and took a picture of this moment. Then, she asked the lady in front of them to take their picture all dressed in red. This time, instead of kissing each other in the second pic, they both kissed the ball. The Reds won by two. As they made their way across the huge lot to the car, Finn offered Rachel a piggy back ride. She happily accepted. She tortured him through the whole ride with kisses, nibbles, and suckles to his ears and neck. When they finally reached their destination, he sat her on the hood and turned to take her face in his hands, kissing her fiercely. He moved to her neck and she wrapped her legs around his waist.

"Thank you so much for that, Baby," he murmured against her heated skin. "It was a great surprise."

"You're welcome," she breathed in return. "It's the first of many."

"Oh yeah?" he asked in a voice that made her insides melt and her outsides burst into flames as he continued his assault on her neck.

"Yeah, but we have to go before you can have any of them."

He pulled away reluctantly and gave her a puppy dog face. "OK," he said sadly. He walked her around to her side of the car and let her in. He returned to his side and continued their trip.

"What's next, Captain?"

"I have us scheduled to stop in Knoxville, Tennessee. There is a Holiday Inn there and my dads gave me their priority club number so the room will be free. It's about 4 hours away. That puts us there before midnight. I think we should get some coffee and if you get sleepy, I can drive."

"How did you get this much planning done last night?" he asked in awe of his girlfri- fiance.

"Planning is one of my many talents, Finn." Her head was held high and she wore her faux arrogant face.

"You never cease to amaze me." He said reverently.

"And I hope I never do," she replied and took his hand in hers.

They talked and sang for the first two hours. Then Rachel began to get sleepy. Finn assured her he was fine to drive and she laid her pillow on the console between them. She repositioned herself sideways and he draped his arm across her back running his fingers over it softly. She put the "Finn playlist" on for him before she went to sleep and kissed him softly, whispering "good night." As he drove, he reflected on the past week and a half. He had graduated high school, made a life altering decision about his father, torn his own heart out when he sent the love of his life away in an attempt to free her from his mediocrity, had her storm back into his life, taking no prisoners, and demanding he take it back, and now, here he was, on his way to somewhere he's never been with his partner sleeping peacefully beside him. Unlike Rachel, Finn had never thought he could have it all. He had a phenomenal mother, but no father. He had popularity, but no dreams. He had the perfect girl, but no plan for a future. But, tonight, driving toward his new dream with his everything cheering him on, he started to think that having it all might not be so out of reach.

**AN: I actually looked up driving directions and the Reds schedule. I am loving planning this trip for them! Please review to let me know if you are enjoying this. I plan to write all through the summer, but if it gets old for my readers, I will wrap it up more quickly! Thanks for reading! I am getting attached to this one! Please share it with your friends!**


	4. Chapter 4

**I am so enjoying reading your sweet reviews! And all the favorites and author alerts are fabulous! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!**

**So... on with our journey.**

**I own none of these people... but again... i would treat them nicely if i did.**

Sunlight streamed through the crack in the vertical blinds of the hotel room window. Rachel was curled up comfortably with her head resting on Finn's broad chest. His arms were wrapped around her securely with one hand tucked into the waist band of her shorts. Her free arm was laying under his T shirt, hand splayed across his skin. They had gotten to the room around midnight as expected and once Finn got Rachel awake enough to get out of the car, they checked in quickly. Once they were in their room, they dressed for bed and crawled in together. Sleep was their only option given how exhausted they both were and the long drive they still had ahead of them. When they got themselves settled and tucked in, Rachel lifted her face to look up at his. He leaned his head in to kiss her ever so softly. They continued with loving, feather light kisses and caresses. He ran his hand along the skin of her back and she stroked the side of his neck just below his ear. She finally whispered, "good night, my love." and he whispered, "sweet dreams." They woke up in pretty much the same position they had been in when they fell asleep. She was the first to wake (of course) and she smelled him before she registered his body. Finn. Her Finn. The same Finn she grieved for a week ago. She was so glad she had a fighting spirit. How dare he try to to take this from her? Waking up like this was the way it was supposed to be. His warmth surrounded her and she began to rub the skin of his belly subconsciously. She was going to miss him so much in their time apart, but she could get through it knowing that it was merely temporary. She had learned how to make him a priority. Stardom was her dream but Finn was her life. That's where a lot of stars go wrong, she thought. They put their hunger for fame first and their relationships suffer. That could have been her before Finn. He had taught her what was really important. Performing was her passion, but she knew she would always put him first. He began to stir as his body began to register her strokes just above the waist band.

"Good morning," he growled with a sleepy grin, eyes still closed, and pulled her tighter against him as his hand slipped lower into her shorts, squeezing the lace covered skin of her butt.

"Good morning," she murmured against him as she readjusted up onto her elbow to look at him. She lowered her head to his neck and began a trail of kisses that covered not only his neck but jaw, collarbone, and ear. Her hand skimmed every spot of skin under his shirt as she continued enoying hr man. She wanted to love him. She wanted to feel him all around her. They were alone. All alone. No worries of embarrassing interruptions. No race against the clock. And she had never made love with him first thing in the morning, but Cosmo said guys liked it and it could be really hot. She had always thought of things like morning breath getting in the way, but it was amazing how right now, she didn't care about that at all. She let her hand travel beneath the barrier of his boxers and reveled in the low moan it drew from his throat.

"Will you promise to wake me up like this every day?" he asked sleepily with his adorable smirk that put his dimple on display. His eyes were closed and he was trying to take in every sensation she was causing in his body.

"I'll see what I can do," she replied before taking his mouth into her own. She took his bottom lip first, sucking it between he teeth and letting it go slowly. He opened his mouth to let her tongue in and she didn't waste her opportunity. She dipped her head in deeper as she ran it along the roof of his mouth. He groaned and released her, mouth wide open, eyes closed when her hand wrapped around him and she returned her moth to his neck. She kissed her way across his chest, still holding onto him with the other hand. She began to move her hand up and down causing him to tremble and moan deeply. She smiled against his skin before feeling herself being rolled over. He took his turn at her neck and chest. He slid her tank top up as he placed sweet kisses on her stomach and pushed it up further as he kissed further up her body. He slid it off and returned to her naked breasts, using his mouth to slowly move across them, teasing, licking, kissing them. Her hands were planted in his hair. He returned his face to hers and kissed her slow and deep. He felt her warmth and her softness. It suddenly occurred to him how close he came to letting his slip through his fingers. That thought brought on whole new desire to take this as slow a possible, memorizing every sight, sound, and feeling. They continued to love with their bodies and souls. Their eyes locked when he took her completely and "I love you" was breathed in unison. They finally collapsed, sweaty, panting, and satisfied. He pulled her against him closely and just held her against him.

They slept another hour or so before she woke up. She tried to get to the shower without waking him and she did. She came out with her hair in a towel and one wrapped herself to find him sitting up in the bed watching sports results. He smiled up at her and she walked around to place a short kiss on his lips.

"My turn?" he asked with his eyebrows raised.

"Yes. I laid out everything you will need."

"Thank you, Baby. What will I do without you?" He asked, rising from the bed and walking into the bathroom. She took a moment to enjoy the view of his toned back.

"I was just asking myself the same question," she said to herself.

They had breakfast downstairs at the hotel because it was free. Rachel checked them out while Finn went to bring the car around. She got in her seat and fastened her seat belt. He smiled at her and brought her hand up to his to kiss it tenderly. "I had an amazing morning, Ms. Berry. Thank you for the wake up call. And I don't just mean today." She smiled and shook her head slightly when she caught the double meaning.

"It's what I do," was her only reply before she began getting the soundtrack going for the next leg of the trip.

They drove in comfortable silence for awhile, except for their music, when Finn finally spoke.

"You never told me about your new home. What is it like?" he asked genuinely.

"It's small, but plenty for just me. And you, when you visit," she added with a grin. "The school is pretty big and I got to tour some of the rehearsal spaces. Th people I was that actually attend there were involved in summer workshops already and they were really good, Finn. Better than me, I think."

He caught the insecurity in her voice. "Rachel, I'm sure they would say the same thing about you. You saw people who have trained there for a year, maybe more. But, I would be willing to bet that none of them have the natural talent you have. Just imagine what you will be like when you are professionally trained. Future students will come home saying the exact same thing." She squeezed his hand and thanked for his words. She knew he meant every one of them. For the first time, she didn't feel a crushing weight at the thought of being there without him. She knew they would be fine now that she had talked him out of his insanity.

"It's really close to Central Park, so I will have a little bit of home close by. You know, trees and grass? And you. Because that's where you started to bring me back." she laughed softly. "It really is a magical place."

He smiled at her as he watched her get lost in her fantasies of her favorite place. "You are still my true home, though." She added assuredly. "Oh my gosh! It's one of our favorite songs!"

She turned Dammit, Janet up and they sang along. She remembered how freaked out he was about showing his body and how he couldn't believe how worked up she got the first time she saw him in those boxers. That was when he felt like he could really do it. She had not been able to keep her eyes off of him and while they waited in the wings, she couldn't control her hands, either. He remembered watching her as she watched her hands roam his chest, glancing at him every so often, licking her lips and swallowing. By the time they made it onto the stage during dress rehearsal, Mr. Schue had to separate them during that time because his boxers gave them away.

"Finn? Where did you go?" she asked humorously.

"Back stage with you during this song. God, that was hot."

"So were you," she grinned at him when he looked at her with his proud smirk.

"Thanks, babe."

"Any time. Finn, what have they said about your case?" She abruptly changed the subject but she had been dying to get some information.

"Well, you know how I petitioned a few months ago for a review of my Dad's discharge status?"

"Yes, I remember you had to send like 15 different letters."

"Yeah, well, just before graduation I got one letter back stating that they wouldn't even review it because of insufficient evidence, whatever that means."

"That stinks, but I kind of get it. I mean it is the US military, we can't just expect them to do something because we want them to. Have you found any more evidence?"

"Kind of. I talked to my Mom and she gave me the names of some of his old Army buddies. Most of them are retired now and a bunch of them returned to Fort Benning, where they had been stationed before the Gulf War."

"Oh. So, we are going to track them down?"

"I figured that's the best place to start."

"Sounds good to me." She concluded the conversation and more silence followed. It wasn't uncomfortable or anything. That was another benefit of soul mates. Silence was not uncomfortable. There was no need to try to fill in the dead spaces. They were both lost in their own thoughts and that was OK.

They had been driving about two hours when they came up on Atlanta, Georgia. It was around eleven when Rachel had Finn exit. A pit stop and stretch break was needed. When Finn got back to the car, there was a tiny little brunette in the front seat.

"What do you think you're doing?" he asked, leaning into the driver's side window.

"Um, driving?" she said sarcastically.

"Rachel, you've got to be kidding me. Have you never heard about Atlanta traffic? You get nervous driving behind school busses."

"No offense, dear, but I have never almost killed a man while behind the wheel."

"Low blow, Rachel. Low. Blow."

"But, true nonetheless."

Finn took in a deep breath and bit the inside of his jaw. He resigned himself to the fact that there was no arguing with her when her jaw was set like that and she was blinking that rapidly. He slunk into the passenger side, cursing when his knees hit the dash. He had to adjust the seat to accommodate his size. he fastened his seat belt and looked at her cautiously. She pulled them onto the road and he immediately noticed she was heading in the opposite direction as the interstate.

"Um, Baby? The interstate is that way," he said pointing a thumb behind them.

"I know," she said flippantly.

"Do you know a short cut or something?"

"No. We aren't leaving just yet. I have another surprise for you! Yay!"

"Oh my God. We are gonna see the Braves play aren't we?" His excitement could hardly be contained.

"Sorry, but no. We aren't going to another game." He exaggerated a pout that quickly turned into a smile. "Then what are we doing?"

"You'll see. Patience, my precious, Finn, patience."

They pulled into a parking garage and found a space. Rachel got out and opened her garment bag, pulling out a dress for her and a dress shirt and slacks for him. She returned to him, offering it out to him. "Here, put this on. I am going to change in the back."

"Why?" he drew he word out as he looked at her skeptically.

"We are going to a Broadway show at the Fox Theater. I was so looking forward to sharing shows with you in New York, but who know when we will be able to do that. So, Jersey Boys is touring here and I got us tickets. Well, my Dad got us tickets, but still. Get dressed."

"You are perfect, you know that?" He took the opportunity to kiss her.

They both dressed awkwardly in the car, him stealing peeks in the rear view mirror. Her pretending not to notice and purposefully striking poses and letting cloth slip from things strategically just to drive him nuts. They made their way to the elevator that would take them to the street.

"So is this like a mob musical or something?" he asked in precious ignorance.

She couldn't stifle her giggle. "No, Finn, it's about the singing group Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons from the sixties."

"Who?" he asked.

" Sherry? Big Girls Don't Cry? Not the Fergie version."

"Oh, the guy with the falsetto." He registered the voice. "Cool, Rach. I'm excited."

"Good." She took his arm and led him into the theater. She stopped a couple in the lobby to take a photo of her and Finn at his first broadway show. He was in awe when he got his playbill and commented that it was like a magazine he didn't have to pay for. The music was awesome and the dudes who were in it were amazing. On their way back to the garage, Finn looked down at her.

"Thank you for sharing a part of yourself with me today. You know? I think I could totally do a show like that one. It was awesome!"

"I am glad you liked it, Finn. And you definitely have the talent to perform professionally if that's what you choose. I would stand behind you all the way."

He moved his arm around her waist as they walked, pulling her closer to him. They were only two hours from their final destination.

It was almost 8:00 when they pulled into their hotel in Columbus, GA. Rachel's Dads had made sure they wouldn't have to pay for rooms by using their points. It gave Finn and Rachel time to find him an apartment. Finn unloaded all of their luggage and brought it up to their room. Rachel had gotten a suite because it was more spacious, had a little kitchen, and a jacuzzi in the room. As Finn brought their things in, she put them away. They decided to order a pizza and watch movies for the night. Pajamas were her attire. They could begin their mission in the morning. She noticed a change in his mood as soon as they arrived in Columbus. He grew very quiet and pensive. He nodded and smiled when she talked, but he didn't contribute much to the conversation. His purpose for being there started to hit him. Finn was nervous about what he might uncover. He was worried he wouldn't uncover enough. Sometimes ignorance was bliss. He hadn't changed out of his clothes yet, just sat staring mindlessly at the TV. Rachel sensed his melancholy and decided he needed to relax. She quietly moved over to where he was on the bed, bringing her lotion with her. She sat and knelt in front of him sitting back on her feet. She took the remote from him and turned the TV off. He watched her intently as she silently unbuttoned his shirt and pushed it from his shoulders. He lifted his arms when she pulled his under shirt over his head, his eyes never leaving her face. She ran her hand across his cheek, his eyes closing. "Lay on your stomach," she said softly. He nodded and moved to do as he was instructed. He folded his arms in front of him and laid his head on them. The only light in the room was the small bedside lamp that was casting a glow on his back. She straddled his butt and warmed some lotion in her hands. She began massaging his muscles earning moans and soft sighs from Finn. She moved her hands slowly, rubbing his tense places and kneading his flesh gently.

"Does that feel good?" she asked in a caring manner, not lustfully, just caring.

"Mmmm, You have no idea," he replied and reached a hand back to squeeze her thigh in appreciation.

She kept massaging him in silence. He needed to talk and she wanted to listen. It wasn't that often that he was the one who needed help. She wanted to make things better for him. And, she knew Finn Hudson. He would bottle this and then explode.

"Are you scared? You know, of what you might find out?" she asked gently not wanting him to feel cornered.

"Yeah. I am." he took in a shuddering breath and released it. He was glad she started the conversation because he needed her. "What if he wasn't the honorable man my Mom made him out to be? What if he really was just a loser druggie who ran off to die because I wasn't enough to make him want to live?"

That cut Rachel to the bone. Her heart broke when his voice cracked with the emotion of saying what he was feeling out loud for the first time. She stopped her massaging and laid her body over on top of his back. Her face was lying on the side of his head. She reached her hands around his shoulders to hold both of his hands. He clutched them as his tears made their way to the mattress. He had done a lot of crying in the past few days and if it was with anyone else he would have felt like a big girl, but she was his person. He could be a girl if he needed to with her.

"I had no idea you felt that way, Finn. But, baby, you have to know that isn't true. First of all, look at the kind of man your Mom falls for. Burt. That's probably kind of close to how your Dad used to be. And you don't get much better than that."

"Sure. But, what about the guys before him? When I was little, they weren't the cream of the crop, Rach."

"Well, her life was upside down. She had lost the love of her life and had a little boy who needed a Dad. It wasn't about what she wanted. It was about forgetting her pain and taking care of you. When she found Burt, she was able to do something for her. Just like when she met your Dad. Finn, losers don't sign up to defend this country. And, war changes people, you know? It's one of the reasons I was so hysterical at the thought of you joining. But, the combination of war and drugs? He wasn't the same person who your Mom fell in love with, had a perfect son with. Maybe he felt like such a loser that he decided your Mom and you were better off without him. Sound familiar? You can certainly understand that, right? Were you letting me go because I wasn't enough to make you want to stay?"

"Of course not."

"Well, then, what happened to your Dad had nothing to do with you or how much he loved you. Unless maybe he loved you so much that he left. If anyone should understand that, it's you," she finished softly.

Finn gently rolled from underneath her so that she was still on top of him, but he was facing her. Her chin rested on her hands that were laying on his chest. He wiped at his eyes, clearing them of his tears.

"Thank God I have you in my life. You always make me look at things in ways I would never come up with on my own. Thank you for not letting me find out what I would do without you. Thank you for talking me down from every ledge. I love you. I love you so damn much."

There was stillness in their room as she leaned her head forward and kissed his chest lightly.

"I love you back." Rachel stood and removed Finn's shoes and pants and turned off the lights without saying a word. She climbed up further on the bed than him and brought his head to her chest. holding him like he always holds her. He wrapped his arms around her body feeling so loved and safe with her. She ran her fingers through his hair and down his back and hummed softly until she heard his breathing become regular and deep. Only then did she allow herself to give in to the sleep that was taking her over. As she drifted, she whispered, "Good night, Sweet Prince." He smiled in his dream filled sleep.

**AN: stephpb1298... there's the Fox theatre... thanks for the idea! I am stoked over the response to this story. I have almost forgotten about the unfortunate incident that took place last week! Please keep reviewing... they are drops of sunshine in my day!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks for the kind words! I hope people are still reading this! I am loving every minute of writing it, and I don't want to quit! Please review... it's my inspiration!**

When Finn woke up, he immediately became aware of two things. One, that was the best sleep he had gotten in weeks. Two, Rachel wasn't beside him. It didn't take him long to find her. She was curled up in a chair in the corner of the room, laptop perched on her knees studying something on the screen intently. He loved to watch her concentrate. She bit her bottom lip and wrinkled her forehead. It was so cute. He watched her without making a sound. Every once in awhile she would click and type. She also had a little pink notebook beside her and she was taking notes with a pen that had feathers growing out the top of it. She stopped to sip her coffee and then went right back to whatever had her captivated.

"You are so sexy when you're serious," he finally mumbled out loud against his pillow having gathered it up underneath him to give his head some height as he laid on his stomach looking over at her. She looked up and smiled a toothless smile.

"And you are so sexy when you first wake up," she was already on her way over to him, sitting down her computer and crawling under the covers with him.

"Good morning," she said when he turned to pull her into his arms.

"Yes it is," he kissed her forehead as she found her spot against him.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Better than I have in a long time." Their familiar silence fell upon them for a little while. "Thank you. You know, for taking care of me last night. You always know just what to do and say to help me. I have the best best friend ever," he squeezed his arms around her shoulders.

"I am happy to do it. You do it for me. We are a team, Babe." She kissed his knuckles that she has holding tucked under her chin.

"That we are. So , what were you working on so hard over there so early?

"Um. I was looking up information about discharge status," he caught on to the drop in her tone.

"And?"

"Did you know there is a statute of limitations on reversing the status? And that after 15 years not even the President can change it?" She held her breath. She really didn't want to be the person who delivered this news,

"Yeah, Rach. I do." He sounded so distressed that Rachel wondered if it was caused by the facts themselves or by the person who repeated them.

"I'm sorry, Finn. Maybe I over stepped... I was just..-" A large hand was placed gently over her running mouth.

"Shhh. It's fine. I want you as far in this with me as you want to be. It's just that hearing that from your mouth makes it more of a reality. Am I crazy, Rachel? Am I a complete idiot for coming here to do nothing, essentially?"

Rachel pulled herself up so that her face was directly over his. "No," she said quietly. "You are just a really great man,"

"But, my goal was to get an honorable discharge. It's impossible."

"Well, maybe in the technical sense, but you can still find out what happened, and you can clear his name... papers or no papers. But, that's going to take time and we have to find you a place to live. Have you spoken with your Aunt?"

"Yeah," he said lifting himself to sit on the edge of the bed and pulling his hand down his face. "she said she would meet us today to show me some of the better apartments around here. She even has a friend that owns one of them that might give me a discount on rent and let me stay with no contract because I don't know how long I will be here."

She crawled over to lace her arms around his neck from behind, resting her chin on his shoulder. "That is wonderful, Finn. I would hate to think that you had to stay any longer than necessary. So... wanna get going?"

"Just gotta get a shower."

"Me, too."

He turned his head sideways, "Weeeellll, we could make better use of our time if we-"

"Race ya!" and she was off the bed and in the bathroom running water before he could get to his feet.

After the most invigorating shower of their lives, they shared the bathroom mirror to get dressed. They worked in tandem as if they had been sharing space their whole lives. They brushed their teeth, swapping smiles in the mirror, taking turns to spit. She dried her hair while he shaved. It was a preview of things to come. And it was comforting to both of them. She loved the feeling of standing next to this huge man who would throw himself in front of a bus for her doing normal, everyday things. She was hit with another wave of sadness. She placed her hands on the counter and dropped her head, her hair falling around her face. His arms came around her waist from behind and she lifted her head to meet his eyes in the mirror. Tears were falling down her clean face.

"Rachel, what's wrong?" he asked softly, pulling all of her hair to one shoulder and kissing the part of her neck he exposed on the other.

"I love this too much. I love everything too much."

"What do you mean?"

"This. Standing here with you in our underwear, getting dressed? It feels so right. I love the intimacy of it. And, I am going to have to leave it eventually and it breaks my heart." More tears began to fall as her face contorted as she finished the sentence.

He gently turned around and pulled her head into his bare chest. He felt the wetness of her tears on his skin and he stroked her freshly washed hair. What was it about her smell? He wished he had it in a bottle. But, he'd rather get it straight from her. He continued to hold her as she cried and when he felt her still in his arms, he took her face in his hands and wiped away the wetness with his thumbs.

"Baby, I know how hard this is going to be for you. For both of us. The safety I feel with you standing next to me plucking your eyebrows is oddly addictive." She let out a little laugh. "But, just think, it gives us something to look forward to. Something new to dream about while you're becoming your oldest dream. It WILL happen. Some day," she spoke the last two words with him and sighed, bringing her head back to his chest.

"Exactly," he finished and kissed the top of her head. "So, let's get outta here and find a place where we can do other boring married people stuff like vacuum on Saturdays and put fresh sheets on the bed on Sundays." She looked up at him surprised to hear that he had thoughts like that. "That's right. I think about stuff like that, too." They both got a laugh out of it and finished dressing.

They met Finn's Aunt Lisa at the Whole Foods Market parking lot so they could all get in one vehicle. Lisa was Christopher's little sister and there was a definite family resemblance between her and her only nephew. She was young, much younger than Rachel had pictured. They both had the same freckled nose and their eyes were almost identical. She was beautiful. Her dark curly hair fell just above her shoulders and it was tied up with a scarf around her head. She was dressed in khaki shorts and a peasant top. On her feet were wedge sandals and had a small tattoo on her left ankle. She was the epitome of the "cool aunt." She ran to him when he emerged from his car and Rachel watched them as she got out on her side. The only family member she had ever seen him interact with was his Mom. She had heard him on the phone with his grandmothers, but that was just a bunch of "yes ma'am" and "I'm sorry about your bunions." Seeing him with his aunt, who clearly adored him, brought on a whole new love for him. He picked up the woman, who was a good five inches taller than Rachel without the wedges, and hugged her tight.

"Flipper! Look at you! You are a whole lot of man, right?" she addressed him excitedly grabbing the sides of his face as he blushed and smiled sheepishly.

"Flipper?" Rachel asked teasingly as she approached the pair.

"You must be Rachel," she said warmly, pulling Rachel into a hug. "You are crazy beautiful, girl. You weren't exaggerating, Peanut."

"Thank you," Rachel replied shyly as Finn pulled her to his side and looked down at her with pride.

"I know... and that's just on the outside. Wait til you get to know her." He winked and Rachel was pretty sure she was turning to liquid. Pulling herself together she had to ask.

"Again, Flipper?" It was hard to imagine this 6' 3" quarterback being referred to in that way.

Finn blushed wildly and his Aunt laughed while nudging his side. "When Finn was little I called him Flipper because he hated it. I would call him Flipper and he would get so mad and yell, 'I'M FINN!' And I would say-"

"It's all fish parts," Finn finished for her.

Rachel rolled with laughter and just when she didn't think it was possible, she loved him more. She laughed until she hurt and was wiping tears.

"That's it. Get it all out now. Won't be so funny when I start telling stories." he said dryly. She put her arms around his neck as she gained her composure. "I'm sorry. I love you... Flipper," and he stopped her oncoming laughter with a quick kiss.

Finn turned to his Aunt. "Thanks. For that."

"Anytime, Kid. SO... let's go find you a place, huh?" They began walking towards the brand new red Dodge Charger she had come out of. "I am stoked that you are going to just be an hour away. We can meet in the middle all the time. I miss getting to see you more than once a year."

"Yeah. That'll be cool," he said with a half smile.

"Rachel, Finn says you are heading to the Big Apple. That sounds amazing. I saw you guys sing on youtube. Sweetheart, you can wail!"

"Thanks, I'm really excited. I am gonna miss this guy, though." She smiled proudly at her Finn and he opened the back door for her. He closed her in and went to ride shotgun.

"Well, you will be fine. There is always Skype. I mean, long distance sucks, but, it's worth it when you love somebody. Finn's Uncle Rob has been in Iraq for two years. He has only visited twice and we Skype every other day. I miss him, but I know he will come home for good soon. That's the sweet part. In the mean time, I have my girlfriends and we go out a lot. I volunteer at the animal shelter. I paint pottery. I do my own thing, you know? And you, my dear, will be in the city that never sleeps. The time will fly by before you know it. And I will be here to keep Flipper out of trouble." she nudged Finn with her elbow and gave Rachel a wink in the rear view mirror.

Rachel smiled back at the delightful woman who was making her feel better for reasons she couldn't explain. Knowing that Finn wouldn't be here alone was a huge weight off her shoulders. He had someone to lean on and to talk to. And, when she thought about Rob being so far away with limited contact and in constant danger, it really helped to put things in perspective.

"We. Are. Here." Lisa announced. The complex was very nice. The buildings looked more like separate condos built in quads with little courtyard like structures in the middle. They were all white buildings with arched windows. Lisa walked them to the office and greeted the manager with a hug.

"Lisa, baby, it's so good to see you," the woman said enthusiastically. She pulled back from Finn's Aunt with her hands pinching her waist. "Sweetie, you need a burger or somethin'. You eatin' right?"

"Yes, Ma'am. I am eating just fine," Lisa replied with a shake of her head and an affectionate smile. "Finn, Rachel, I would like for you to meet Miss Margot. I've known her since your Uncle Rob and I lived here when he was stationed her ten years ago. Margot, I would like for you to meet my nephew, Finn, and his beautiful girlfriend, Rachel."

Margot was an round woman with big frosted blonde hair and too much mascara. She wore loud colored clothes with big flowers and a lot of jewelry. Her perfume was strong, but not gag you strong, but it was her huge smile and open demeanor that made up for all of that. She looked like someone's eccentric grandma. The ones that took you on big adventures and made you play make believe.

Hand were shaken and pleasantries exchanged. "So, Finn, baby, I hear you're lookin' to move here for an undetermined amount of time."

"Yes, Ma'am. I need to be close to the military base because I am looking to clear up some things about my Dad. He served in the Gulf the first time. He died when I was a baby, but I feel like, as his son, I owe it to him." Rachel noticed Lisa's face become serious for the first time since she met her. It was always unsettling to see someone relive a painful memory. But, it almost seemed like there was more to it than that. Rachel shook off her feeling and returned her attention to Finn.

"Well, Son, that certainly is a noble thing to be doing. Aren't you just a dolll?" Her thick southern accent spiced her words and Rachel found it kind of endearing.

"It's just something I have to do," he shrugged as if it wasn't something that made him special. Rachel made a mental note to remind him that he was wrong. "I am clean... relatively...and quiet. There won't be any parties or girls because the only girl for me will be in New York," he glanced down at a beaming Rachel, puling her closer to his side. "I just need a roof."

"I think that can be arranged, Darlin'," she said with a pat on the arm and a huge white teeth baring smile. "You remind me of my grandson. He's not much older than you, in fact. Same sweet smile, same age defyin' chivalry. Tell you what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna give you his old place. He just married his sweetheart and moved into her apartment cause it's bigger. Tell me, you good with your hands?"

"God, yes," was Rachel's first thought that accidentally came out of her mouth. Her eyes widened and her hand flew to cover her uncontrolled mouth, her face turning a shade of red generally reserved for cherry popsicles. Finn jerked his head toward her, wide eyed and about as red, before a slow grin appeared on his face. "I am so sorry," Rachel said sheepishly, burying her face in Finn's side. He put the other arm around her, laughing softly. The other two women were laughing hysterically.

"Honey," Margot began through her laughter, wiping tears with one hand and the other on Rachel's shoulder, "if I had a man that good lookin' I wouldn't be able to keep my thoughts to myself either."

Rachel smiled through her embarrassment. "Moving on..." she said trying to get out of this moment.

"Let me rephrase, Sugar," Margot continued, her voice still full of amusement. "Can you fix stuff that's broken?"

"Yeah, I mean, I've been working at my step dad's shop as a mechanic. I am pretty good with machines and stuff."

"Perfect. See, Beau, that's my grandson, was my maintenance guy. And now that he's a married man with a college degree he took a job in engineering. So, I'm in need. If you take the job, you live here for free and still get paid more than minimum. What do you say?"

Finn could hardly contain his excitement. He looked at his Aunt Lisa, who just smiled, obviously knowing about this beforehand. "Yeah. Totally. That's perfect. Thank you so much. I don't know what to say," he spoke rapidly, glancing over at Rachel who was still beaming up at him.

"All I ask is that you give me at least a month's notice when it's time for you to go so I can find someone to replace ya." Margot felt herself suddenly engulfed in big strong arms. She laughed and pat Finn on the back. "Gonna smother me, boy," she smiled against his chest.

"Oh, sorry," he said releasing her.

"It's alright. Wanna see your new digs?" she asked grabbing the keys and heading toward the door. They walked just a few feet to the first apartment quad on the left. Upon entering, Finn and Rachel looked at each other in disbelief. It was completely furnished. Couch, love seat, tables. There was a kitchen/ dining area to their left with a kitchen island separating the two functions. Continuing through the space, they saw that the single bedroom was furnished as well, with a king sized bed dressed with a white down comforter. It contained a bathroom that hosted a stand in shower and a garden jacuzzi tub. On the back wall of the room was a set of french doors that led to a patio area that was surrounded on all sides with trees and well groomed bushes. Between two of the bushes was a gate that opened to a leading to the sparking blue swimming pool. Even the patio area was furnished with plush outdoor furniture.

"This is too good to be true, Miss Margot. Are you sure about this?" Finn asked, still trying to believe his good fortune.

"Honey, any family of Lisa's is family of mine. And, besides, I admire what you are doin' for you Daddy. That alone tells me you're a good man," she finished with a soft smile.

"You have no idea." This time Rachel spoke aloud and it was no accident. Finn looked down at her with all the love in his heart written across his face and dipped his head to kiss her softly before wrapping both arms around her to hold her tight.

Margot and Lisa shared a glance at their sweet exchange. Margot let out a sigh, "Young love," she smiled brightly. "Well, son. Go get your bags. Got some papers to fill out. I'll give you this week free to get settled before I put you to work."

"Thank you, again, Miss Margot, I don't even know what else to say." Finn said hugging the older woman again.

"Nothin' else necessary, baby. Glad to do it," she finished with a pat to his back.

"OK... Rach... you stay here. I'll get our bags." He kissed Rachel on the forehead and turned toward the car.

"Aunt Lisa, you are a life saver," Finn moved to hug her. Rachel saw Lisa's tears over Finn's shoulder as she held on to her big brother's son. He continued toward the car, not noticing his aunt's emotion.

Rachel closed the gap between them. "Lisa, are you alright?" She couldn't put her finger on the feeling she was getting. It just seemed like more than loving her nephew or sadness over her fallen brother.

"I'm fine, Rachel," Lisa smiled sweetly and placed a hand on Rachel's forearm, "I promise. It's just... seeing Finn reminds me so much of Christopher. They are more alike than I ever noticed before. Maybe it's because I haven't been around him since he became a man. His voice is so close to his Dad's. And his build. There are facial expressions that are identical. When he hugs me, it feels just like my big brother is here and," she broke with her tears. Rachel put her arms around her in a gesture of comfort. Lisa accepted the hug and pulled away quickly, noticing Finn coming down the walkway. Rachel ran to him to divert his attention while Lisa collected herself and walked over to Margot's apartment by the office. Rachel took one of the bags from Finn with some struggle because he didn't want to let her carry anything. They arrived at the front door of what would be their home for the next ten weeks and Finn's for who knew how long. He dropped the bags and turned the key. Before she knew what was happening, Rachel was being lifted off the ground, letting out a squeak of surprise. Finn carried her over the threshold, set her feet back on the ground, and turned to drag in their bags.

"What was that all about?" Rachel asked through her giggles, watching him adoringly.

"It's what is supposed to happen right?" he asked as he worked as if she should already know the answer to her question. He closed the door and walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"That's when we're married, Finn," she snaked her arms around his neck and looked at him with her eyebrows raised and a smirk playing at the corner of her mouth.

"Well, you know what? We are. In every way that matters. Whether we have a piece of paper or a Rabbi or a cake, I am yours. Forever. No matter what."

"And I am yours." Rachel answered as she rose up on her toes to meet his lips in a passionate kiss. As he kissed her, he backed her toward the couch, turning when he got there to fall on his back, bringing her with him to rest on top of him. They worked each other's lips with skilled precision, having memorized what earns the best noises. Finn's hands found the skin of Rachel's back under her top and caressed it gently causing her to push her hips slightly into his.

"You have papers to fill out, Sir," she mumbled against his busy lips.

"They can wait," he mumbled back, raising his head slightly to deepen his kiss.

"But, the sooner you get that done, the sooner we can finish what we've started," she kissed him softly, "without interruption," she kissed him again, "for the rest of the evening." She entered his mouth with her tongue and let her hand travel below her. Finn groaned loudly as he jumped up from under her nearly throwing her from the couch. She laughed out loud as he ran out the door without another word.


	6. Chapter 6

**I don't want to sound redundant, but thank you so very much for the love! SO... our beloved Finn and Rachel have found a place to live, made a new friend, and reconnected with family. We have to take a walk down memory lane, because Aunt Lisa sees that Finn and Rachel have a rare and special kind of love and wants to know how that happened. Hope you don't mind. I'll try to put a fun spin on it. You will be rewarded nicely at the end of the chapter, so hang with me. :) There is some sensual business in here, so be warned. Always tasteful... but still.**

**I don't own these people or some of these events. Just sayin'.**

It took Finn just over an hour to fill out the paperwork for both the apartment and his new employment. His Aunt Lisa offered to treat him and Rachel to dinner and he wasn't about to turn down the free food or the good company. When he made his way back into his new place, he found his tiny little girlfriend curled up on the couch sound asleep. He smiled to himself as he walked to the coffee table to sit beside her. Some of her hair had fallen over her face and he moved it away with one finger. His eyes were fixated on her peaceful face. A pang of regret shot through his stomach when he had a flash of her face the day he told her she was free. It seemed like months since that had happened instead of a couple of weeks. He just knew in his heart it was the right thing at the time, and thank God for Rachel finding the compromise. He closed his eyes at the thought of what his days would look like right now if she had let him have his way. It's what they did for one another. Balance. He helped bring her extremes to a center point and she helped him see the bigger picture. Kismet, he thinks that's what she calls it. Watching her chest rise and fall and the way her lashes laid on her cheeks, he couldn't fight the urge to speak to her.

"You are my whole life, you know that, Rachel Berry?" He spoke just above a whisper. Not intending to wake her, just needing to say things she would tell him there was no need for. "Putting you on that train was the hardest thing I have ever had to go through and when you think about the past few years, that's saying something." He gave a rueful chuckle. "When I finally lost the race I was in with the train, I fell to my knees and I couldn't breathe, and it wasn't from the running. It's like, the air I needed to survive was in you, you know? Like, in that Disney movie you made me watch when the hot red headed fish girl's voice leaves her body. Except, it was my ability to breathe. Bad example, I know, but it makes the point. It took the whole group of our closest friends to stop me from jumping on the back of the thing. They all tried o comfort me with 'it's for the best' and 'you'll be together eventually.' But, Mr. Schue knew you weren't going to let it go. Bet you didn't know that. I asked him how he knew and he said, 'would you?' That really got to me. He had to drive me home. I told him everything and he told me to be ready. You'd come straight to me when you got back. He said that when he met you, your dream was all you had so that's what you loved the most. But, then I came along and he watched for three years as performing took second place in your heart. I told him I didn't want to hold you back like his psycho ex wife did with him. He pulled the car over real fast and totally freaked me out. But, he said that what you and I have is so different, because we truly want the best for each other, even if it means personal sacrifice, his words, not mine obviously. He also told me that he saw us more like him and Miss Pillsbury. You know, a team? I thought that was pretty cool. Rach, I want more than anything to see you live your dream. I know it's so much a part of who you are and I love all of you, so that HAS to happen. I just thought it couldn't happen with me around. I mean, who am I, really? A half assed quarterback who managed to turn singing into barely more than an extra curricular activity and someone whose dancing nearly put you into surgery. I managed to help lead a glee club to a national title, but didn't get myself into college. Then, there's you. The girl who will conquer the world. But, something happened when you showed up at my door the other day. For three years, you have pushed me and encouraged me and told me I am none of the things I think I am. Thanks, for that, by the way. But, it's like, telling you about this stuff with my Dad and having you just understand... that's when it all sunk in, you know? I am starting to see what you see in me and it feels really good. I just needed to tell you. So. Yeah. That's all. Oh... one more thing. That dinner I cooked you with the really good meat substitute? Not substitute. Just meat. I am so sorry." He kissed her forehead and sat at the end of the couch, turning on the TV. He let her sleep another half hour before he woke her for dinner.

They met his Aunt Lisa at the front door of the bistro she had found for them. They were seated quickly by a young girl who paid special attention to Finn. He apparently caught on to it, too, because when she leaned in to place his menu in front of him, he leaned the opposite direction and pulled Rachel in for a kiss.

"Smooth, Hudson," she smiled as he returned to his own space.

"Just making things clear," he smiled over at her.

"How cute are you two?" Lisa mused as she looked her menu over. Finn and Rachel exchanged a grin before their waiter arrived and took their orders. He walked away with their menus and Lisa launched into her questions.

"OK. I want to know everything. From when you met to when you met me in the parking lot today. Go." She was leaning on her elbows that were propped on the table. Ready to listen intently to the whole story. Little did she know what she was asking.

Finn and Rachel giggled somewhat uncomfortably and looked at each other, silently deliberated on who would start. Rachel took the lead.

"Well, Finn and I weren't exactly running in the same circles when we met. He was our quarterback, the star of the high school elite," she smiled at him teasingly as he shook his head at her lovingly, "and I was, well, I was just there. The only attention I was getting was a slushy in the face every other day and hate mail on my you tube posts."

"That's terrible. Who would do a thing like that?" Lisa asked, appalled.

Finn dropped his head and Rachel looked at him unsure of what to say.

"No! Finn, please tell me you didn't." His Aunt's eyes were full of disappointed outrage.

Rachel stepped in to clear the air. "No, no he never actually threw the slushies."

"But, I watched other people without doing anything about it." He said with a voice full of sadness and regret.

"Look at me," Rachel said sharply and Finn obeyed, "see this ring? See how happy I am? It more than makes up for it. So stop it." He reached out to touch her face and nodded slightly.

Lisa couldn't help but smile at the two of them. It was like watching people who had been married for years. They took care of each other and they knew just how to react to the other. She found herself very impressed.

"Ok, so, anyway..." Rachel continued with a warning glance at Finn to make sure he was moving on from the awkward moment. Satisfied, she went on. "Our Glee club sucked for lack of a better word and the teacher got fired for reasons that I won't go into for the sake of brevity and Mr. Schue took over."

"Who is Mr. Schue?" Lisa asked.

"The most awesome teacher on the planet," Finn answered.

"He's our Glee teacher. He had me and four other talented if not unpolished members, but knew he wouldn't get anywhere without someone that made others want to join. He was wandering through the locker room to put up a sign up sheet for Glee when he heard Finn singing in the shower." Rachel didn't know why she blushed when she said it, but she felt her face get warm all the same.

"And, he asked you to join while you were in the shower?" Lisa questioned with reservation.

"No," Finn said laughing at the thought. "He told me he found pot in my locker and would narc on me if I didn't join Glee. Which, by the way, Rachel, he told me before graduation that he made that up."

"You're joking." She was wide eyed and found this hilarious.

"Nope. Isn't that the coolest move ever?" Rachel and Finn fell into a fit of laughter. They were sitting there in love because of lies and black mail. Classic.

"So, Finn, you joined the club and...?" intrigued by this story, Lisa urged them to continue.

"And I went to the first rehearsal and it was-"

"Horrendous," Rachel finished with a loud laugh.

"C'mon, babe, it wasn't that bad." Finn tried to soften the blow.

"You were terrified of me. I came after you like something on National Geographic," she barely got the words out through her giggles.

"You were... passionate. That's a good thing." Bless him for trying to down play her crazy.

"Finn. You said you used to check under your bed at night to see if I was there." She reminded him with a challenging look on her face, daring him to disagree.

Aunt Lisa was loving every minute of their story. It was like she was watching her favorite romantic comedy unfold in front of her. She kept sipping her water, amused at the tag team style they were using to tell their story.

"Ok, maybe you were a little too intense at first. But then, I heard you sing." His whole posture softened like he had melted a little and his voice became more gentle with his last statement. She looked at him out the corner of her eye and grinned modestly. He turned his attention to his aunt.

"That's when I knew I was in trouble. I had never heard anyone sing like her. She got me. And then she started teaching me how to get better."

"And he kissed me."

"After she gave me permission."

"But, he had a girlfriend."

"And I wanted to end it so I could be with Rachel."

"But she told him she was pregnant and that it was his."

Lisa nearly spit her water on the table. "Whoa! What? You have a child?" She was near outrage and she was hurt because she didn't know.

This is when the waiter chose to bring the drinks, sitting them down at each spot. Trying to act like he didn't hear the outburst and clearly lingering to hear the answer. He walked away slowly to hear as much as he could.

"No, no, no, no. It wasn't mine. She just let me think it was for five months before Rachel found out the truth from everyone else and was the only one who would tell me."

Lisa relaxed and tried to recover. "Flip, I'm so sorry. That must have been really hard for you," she touched his hand and tilted her head sympathetically.

"Yeah. It was." Finn got lost in an old memory that had mostly been put away. It still effected him, though. Rachel pulled him out of it with a soft kiss on his cheek and a look that reassured him everything was as it should be. She gently rubbed her hand in circles across his lower back. "But, Rachel helped me a lot and we started dating. Then I kind of broke up with her." He spoke the last part timidly.

"Kind of?" Rachel said. " ' I don't think I want to be your boyfriend' isn't kind of."

"Why?" Lisa asked, clearly intrigued by this story.

Rachel snorted a laugh. "To find his inner rock star," she choked out through a snicker.

"Oh, God, Finn. Really?" His aunt said in disgust.

"Hey, now. I had gone through a trauma and this one is high maintenance." He looked at her so she would see he meant that affectionately.

"I did make some assumptions and rushed something before you had time to heal. It was pretty immature on my part." she admitted."Then, you went on a date with two cheerleaders. At the same time." Rachel wasn't letting him sugar coat too much.

s"Oh, my!" was his Aunt's response.

"Yeah, Ok. But, then, I wanted her back, but she had found somebody else in like, a day. And he was a total douche. OW!" he yelped when a tiny shoe made direct contact with his shin under the table. "What? He was."

Rachel ignored his defense and went on. "It didn't work out, and-"

"Cause he threw eggs at your head." Finn mumbled under his breath.

"Eggs?" Lisa asked for clarity,

"Story for a later time," Rachel bypassed quickly. "And then Finn told me he loved me and we spent a blissful summer together before returning to school and having every obstacle imaginable lobbed at us. Then, I found out he had sex with a girl whose life's mission was to make my life hell and-"

"FINN HUDSON... do not tell me you cheated on this girl." Lisa interjected loudly.

Finn's eyes widened and he immediately began stuttering his response. "I didn't- we weren't- and she told- Rachel, help?" He was starting to sweat and was wiping at his forehead with a napkin.

"Breathe, Finn," she whispered, squeezing his knee and turning her attention to the pretty lady sitting across from her with fury still etched on her features.

"I was still with the other guy at the time-"

"The egg dude?" Lisa clarified.

"Yes. And I told Finn that I slept with him when I really didn't. And he told me he didn't sleep with this other girl when he really did." She stopped to gauge how much Lisa was comprehending.

"So... let me get this straight. You were trying to make him jealous and you were trying to what? Protect your image?" She wasn't accusing them, just trying to get it all straight. Their answer came in unison.

"Yes / No."

"Yes, Rachel was making you jealous... no about your image?"

"I was trying to protect her. What I did was stupid and wasteful and will sit at the top of my list of regrets for the rest of my life. It should have been Rachel. I was really messed up about the baby stuff but mostly about Rachel and the douche bag," he ignored the glare he got from Rachel and went on, "and I made a mistake. But, I knew how hurt she would be if she knew and since it meant nothing to me and was barely long enough to register as a memory, and I lied." A shameful expression crossed his features.

The food arrived around the word douche bag and the waiter raised his brows in interest. He handed out the food and Rachel could see his amusement at the conversations he had become privy to at their table. She thanked him pointedly when he dawdled to eavesdrop, sending him to march away in a huff.

"How did you find out, Rachel?" Lisa asked as she salted her mixed veggies.

Rachel looked up from pouring the dressing on her salad. "She told me in front of the entire glee club, who already knew about it." She took Finn's hand under the table and squeezed it to reassure him they were OK. They didn't talk about this stuff anymore as a general rule, having agreed that it just didn't matter anymore, and reliving it was unpleasant to say the least.

"Oh, sweetie, that must have been terrible." Lisa sympathized.

Finn continued. "And then I made things worse, another long story, and Rachel got back at me by making out with the guy who got my other girlfriend pregnant." He said it so matter of factly that Lisa almost missed the weight of it.

"Dear Lord, I'm gonna have to start downing shooters to get through the rest of this story," she breathed in exasperation letting her cheek slide down the hand that was holding her face up and resting it on her forehead.

Rachel attempted to accelerate the story, "It gets better. I promise. So, Finn broke up with me and I was devastated."

"Hey- so was I," he added. She nodded in understanding.

"I tried everything I knew to get him back, but he was too hurt. And then, two months later, he went back to the first girlfriend-"

"The pregnant one?" Lisa looked like this story was giving her a migraine when she pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes trying to keep up.

"Yeah, but I was just trying to prove that I was worth not cheating on and she just wanted to be prom queen. And I never stopped loving Rachel. Not for one second." Finn and Rachel went into their little bubble again as they sat staring into each other's souls. He was the first to snap out of it this time. "Then, Rachel went to prom with the dou- with Jesse," he caught himself before getting kicked again, but hissed the name. "I went with Quinn and got kicked out for trying to punch Jesse for getting too hands on with Rachel. Shortly after, I realized we're-"

"Tethered," she spoke the word with him and nodded her head.

"So... I broke up with Quinn and went straight to find Rachel, only to find her-

"Kissing Jesse. I'll say it since it makes you sick," she offered Finn. "But, it was really him kissing me and while I realized I felt nothing for him, but Finn didn't know that. So, we went to Nationals in New York. Finn planned this elaborate date that started in Central Park and we ate at Sardi's and I met one of my idols, and we walked through the streets arm in arm."

"Sounds romantic," Lisa interjected,

"Oh, it was. It was epic. But then I went to kiss her and she ran like she was on fire." He took a bite of his steak.

"Now who's the drama queen? I did not run. I walked. Briskly." She pointed her fork at him for emphasis.

Lisa took a sip of tea before asking, "Why did you briskly walk away?"

"I had just begun to move on. I loved Finn, but I was convinced it was done so I had decided to throw myself into my career. I didn't want to hurt us both by getting back together and then leaving for New York."

"But obviously something changed..." Lisa prodded.

"I wrote us a duet to sing for the competition. It said everything I was feeling. And while we were on stage, it kind of pulled us together like magnets."

"And I couldn't resist him anymore."

"And at the end of the song, we, well, we - kissed." His eyelids got heavy and his half smile shown on his face as he looked at her, reliving the power of that moment.

"Yeah. We did," she murmured into his eyes. "And it cost us the competition," she redirected toward the other woman, snapping out of her "Finn trance." "But, when we got home, we decided it was worth it. I told him I was leaving after graduation and he wanted this year together and I happily agreed." She slipped her arm through his as she contentedly concluded the first act.

"Wow. You two have been through it, huh? So, how did you get to where you are now?" She asked unsure they had time for the answer.

"Well, we have been solid all year, Aunt Lisa, we've just struggled with her huge dreams and my lack of them." Finn shrugged unsure of where to go next in the saga. They had all been taking intermittent bites and were finishing up their meals. Like the team they were, Rachel sensed his block and jumped in to finish.

"Finn has just had a hard time deciding what to do. He's capable of anything but he has just started to listen to me when I say that. He was kind of lost and I had put him on a time table, unintentionally putting pressure on him. So, he got this idea to join the Army."

Lisa visibly stiffened and gathered herself to allow the story to continue. Finn was silent and rigid, and Rachel knew this wasn't a part he could tell, so she went on. "That's when Carole told him the truth about his Dad." Sensing a soft spot for Lisa, she stopped to ask if it was OK to go on.

Lisa nodded yes as she watched Finn who was just moving his potato and salad around with his fork mindlessly, lost in a moment that was forever painful. She wanted to hold this boy she had held during her brother's funeral, his innocent brown eyes shining and his chubby hands pulling at her hair, completely unaware that his life had been drastically altered. That was what she saw when she looked across the table and her heart broke a little.

"Are you sure? We can finish another time." Rachel said quietly, looking between the man she loved and the sister of his father.

"That was when I proposed." Finn spoke up for the first time in what seemed like an eternity, trying to get to the best part as quickly as possible. "I needed to know that the best thing that ever happened in my life was always gonna be there. The one person I knew would always tell me the truth. That, even though I couldn't believe in what I had been told, that I could believe in her. In us. And it took some convincing because, let's face it, it does sound crazy to plan a wedding before you pick a dress for senior prom, but she said yes. By some miracle, she said yes. We even made it into a white dress and suit, but our friend was in a near fatal crash on her way to be a bridesmaid." He left out the identity, because this story was already getting exhausting. "And, we returned our focus to getting out of school and winning Nationals."

"Then Finn decided he wanted to go to New York with me and become an actor."

Lisa's eyebrows shot up. "Really?" She found this hard to wrap her head around.

Finn grinned a small grin. "Yeah. I mean, performing gives me a rush. But, I didn't get into acting school. Applied too late. And Rachel has been accepted to a premiere performing arts school." He looked at her with pride and she leaned her head into his shoulder.

"And almost two weeks ago, Finn broke up with me and literally put me on a train to New York."

Lisa's mouth fell open. This was not what she expected to hear.

"What? Why? And you are more than OK now. How did that happen?" she asked.

"I thought I would be holding her back. I thought she couldn't achieve her dream with me tagging along behind her. And, I needed to do this thing for my Dad. Aunt Lisa, I know there is more to this than what we know. I need people to know who he really was. Rachel had decided to defer her acceptance for a year to help me get my crap together and I could not let that happen, so I put her on a train to visit the school thinking she'd fall in love with it and we'd let fate do its thing."

"I thought we were on our way to the temple. My dress was hanging in the back seat. And instead, I ended up at the train station with a bag I didn't pack and my fiance breaking up with me for my own good. Talk about a bad day."

Lisa was speechless. She was desperately trying to process all that she had heard and was having a very hard time with all of it. "But, you came back." She said cautiously.

"I came back." Rachel said simply.

"And brought me to my senses that we could do separate things in separate places without letting go of our love." Finn brought Rachel's hand up and held it between both of his, kissing each finger before resting his mouth on their knuckles.

"And then we drove here. And that's the end of things you haven't been here to witness." Rachel finished the epic saga of Finn and Rachel.

"Holy hell, that was a long ass story, you guys." The three of them erupted into laughter as Lisa dug her card out of her purse to take care of the ticket none of them had noticed being brought to the table."So, what's next in our story?" she asked the young lovers in front of her.

They looked at each other for a moment, unsure of the answer. Without looking away from her eyes, Finn replied for them, "We don't know for sure. But we will figure it out together."

"Wise words," Rachel murmured.

"Yeah. Forgot where I heard them," Finn winked.

Lisa drove them back to get Finn's car. They had emptied it earlier when she picked them up in case they found a place to stay and wanted to freshen up. Finn's aunt kissed them both and left with a promise to see them later in the week. The drive back to the apartment was silent, given all the talking they had done that evening. Their fingers were intertwined between them and the music played softly around them. They pulled into the complex around 11:00 and Finn held Rachel tight as he unlocked the door. She kicked off her shoes at the door and he followed her to the bedroom they would share for the summer. She stood at the dresser to remove her jewelry and he removed his shoes. Silence screamed into the room as they both replayed their story internally. Rachel opened the french doors and took in the fresh night air. She turned and walked over to where he sat on the edge of the bed and stood between his legs, running her fingers through his hair as he lifted his face to look at her. He linked his hands at the small of her back. The moonlight rested on her features making her look almost ethereal.

"Past stays in the past. OK?" she whispered. He silently nodded his agreement.

"Good," she mouthed before lowering her face to his, capturing his lips in a slow, sweet kiss. Without breaking the contact, he moved her back slightly so he could stand. He took her face in his hands and kissed her more deeply, her hands moving to grasp his broad shoulders. She moved her hands down to the hem of his shirt and lifted it over his head, him raising his arms to help her. Her hands returned to his chest where she held his gaze for a moment. The look was full of passion, full of need. He returned the action by removing her top as well. He pulled her body closer to his, closing his eyes at the sensation of skin on skin contact. He suddenly gripped her behind, bringing her up to rest on his hips, legs wrapped around his waist to secure her position. He walked them over to the open doors and gently rested her back in the door frame. From this position, he was eye to eye with her and she lovingly stroked his face and his hair as he stared into her eyes. They were going to love away all the hurt that had been re -released over dinner. Remind each other that where they had been had led them to where they were now and that nothing would ever tear them apart again. He leaned his face the centimeter of space that remained between them and kissed her with ferocity. Her hands swirled around his head and face and his grasped tight at her hips, holding her to the frame with his body. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled her upper body tight against his, craving the feeling of his skin on hers. He walked her onto the patio and leaned back on the chaise lounger. His kisses roamed and covered her neck and chest and she received them whole heartedly keeping her hands in his hair to guide him. "Rachel, I love you," his voice strained against the tightness in his chest that came from his all consuming desire for this girl as he slid his lips along her collar bone. "I love you, too, Finn, with every part of me, I love you," she returned. Their kisses became more intense, more desperate. The rest of their clothes disappeared. Love was made in the moonlight. Their bodies connected in the most intimate way possible and they moved against one another slowly, tenderly. She rocked in his lap and he copied her movements. Their eyes only lost contact when they kissed. His hands stroked and kneaded her flesh as she poured kisses oh his neck and shoulders. Sighs, low moans, and soft whispers were the only sounds that could be heard. They found release almost simultaneously, eyes locked, foreheads pressed together clenching jaws and whimpering against the pressure and mind blowing sensations. When they had come down from their release and the trembling subsided, Finn carried Rachel to their bed. Their bed. The thought made his body buzz again. He laid her down gently and crawled over her to pull her body next to his. Her arm draped across his chest lazily and she buried her face in his neck. Silence filled the air between them as he ran a thumb up and down her spine in the softest touch. Her fingers toyed with the hair at the top of his neck. Crickets chirped outside and the wind blew through the room caressing their exposed skin.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked softly into the darkness.

"Tomorrow," he stated simply.

She raised up on one elbow, keeping her hand behind his head. "What about it?"

"I don't know. Tomorrow, I jump into the unknown, you know?"

"I'm jumping with you," she comforted.

"Yeah," he turned his head slightly to place a kiss on her temple. "I'm glad."

"Me, too." She returned her face to his neck and snuggled even closer to him.

After a few minutes of silence, a smirk formed on her face and she debated whether to bring up what she was about to bring up. But, they didn't keep secrets.

"Finn?" she began quietly, moving her hand that was in his hair to trace circles on his chest.

"Hmmm?" he replied, eyes closed, lost in the feeling of her fingers on his skin.

"It's the Little Mermaid," she hinted.

"What?" he opened his eyes in confusion.

"The hot red headed fish girl is the little mermaid," she could hardly contain her giggle as she felt him putting together what she was trying to tell him. His body stiffened and he inhaled deeply.

"You were awake." It was a statement, not a question.

"Yes." He exhaled loudly and squirmed a little, putting his free arm behind his head. She pushed herself up to look at him. "But, it's ok. I was going to let you know, but I felt like it was something you needed to say without interruption, so I let you finish. Are you mad?" She asked reluctantly.

"No. A little embarrassed." He turned his head away from her slightly and she pulled it right back.

"I'm glad I heard it, Finn. I would would never wish hurt on you, but hearing your experience at the train station makes me feel better some how. It kind of validates that we are doing the right thing now."

"It was hell, Rach." He spoke into her eyes, running his hand through her hair.

"I know." She leaned her head down to kiss him lightly. "But, this is heaven."

"It really is." He pulled her face down to his and rolled her slightly so that he hovered over her.

He trailed his kisses over her cheeks, down her jaw line, all across her neck.

"Finn?"

"Yes" he mumbled into the spot just below her ear.

"I just wanted to tell you," she paused when he covered her ear with his hot, wet mouth and released a fiery breath.

"Yes?" he smirked arrogantly feeling the goose bumps that rose on her skin.

"You will be eating nothing but vegetables all day tomorrow to make up for letting me eat meat," she bit her smile back to keep from laughing when she felt him stop suddenly and drop his head in shame and growling into her shoulder.

She lost control of her giggles and he tickled her mercilessly until the playfulness turned back into desire. This summer was going to be one hell of a ride.

Meanwhile an hour away...

"I had the best time with him and his sweetheart of a girlfriend. You wouldn't believe how huge he is, Rob," Lisa spoke into her web cam.

"Does he know yet?" Her husband asked with a bit of alarm.

"I don't think so, but he's going to find out soon enough. I just hope he is able to handle it."

"It's a lot to take in, Lis," Rob cautioned.

"I know. But he has me and the unfaltering love of his girl to get him through it."

"Good luck, Baby. Tell the kid I said Hi, would ya? I miss you so much." Rob kissed his hand and touched the screen as she did the same.

"Love you," she whispered.

"Back at ya," he quipped and the screen went to black.

Lisa snuggled down further under her covers and stared at the ceiling. What was Finn going to do when he found out the truth? And how was she going to help him through it?

**DUM, DUM, DUM... A mystery. Betcha can't wait to find out what's going on! I can't either! I hope you enjoyed this... if you did, please click review! See you soon!**


	7. Chapter 7

**I am glad you are liking the new characters. Thank you for all the wonderful comments! Love them!**

**I don't own the characters but I have a lot of fun telling them what to do!**

She was sweaty. She was out of breath. Her arms were full of everything she needed. Yet, she just couldn't do it. What made her think this would work? She found herself struggling all of a sudden. Why was it that she always had to learn things the hard way?

"Rachel?" she heard his voice call to her from the front door.

"Help?" she whined pitifully.

"Why didn't you just ask for help?" he asked with humor as he ran over to take some of the shopping bags that were quickly getting the best of her.

"I wanted to prove I could do it myself. It's not like I'm gonna have you to do things like this for me in New York. And I'm going to have to walk it up stairs, Finn." She was near tears as he continued walking them into the house. They dropped the bags on the dining table and he turned, placing his hands on her shoulders and gently pulling her to him.

"Hey- it's Ok. Babe, you won't have this much stuff then. And, you won't be alone. You will make lots of friends and I am sure they will be more than willing to help you out," he tried to comfort her without laughing out loud at how incredibly adorable she was wrestling with those bags.

"You think so?" she asked in a small voice, unusual for her.

"I know so," he assured her with confidence. "Now, what is all of this and why did I have to wake up naked and alone?" He grinned and she kissed him quickly, recovering for her momentary crisis and began unpacking bags. He followed her, standing there in her work out shorts and tank, hair piled on top of her head in a ponytail.

"Well, I woke up at my usual time because I guess my body has returned to it by habit. Since I was awake, I decided to go for a run and you were still asleep when I got back and I realized we needed food and supplies, so I drove to the grocery store. We now have plenty of food, and I got you all the house stuff you needed like stuff to clean with." She smiled proudly.

"Awesome. Thanks, Rach," he developed an odd smile and she stopped busily unpacking to move into his arms.

"What?" she asked him with a look of sheer adoration on her face.

"I was just thinking. I like this. I like you coming in from a run before I wake up. And I like putting groceries away with you. I like that you thought to get me the creamy peanut butter. I just like it, that's all," his expression clouded over all of a sudden and that wasn't lost on Rachel.

"I know. Me, too. And some day, it will be like this forever, you know? Domesticity," she sighed.

"Is that like a disease or something?" he asked, pulling his forehead together in a confused frown.

She giggled at his preciousness. "No, Finn, it means living together doing homy, normal, every day things."

"Oh. Cool." He shrugged and grinned. They went back to the business of stocking the kitchen. He reached over her to put away things on shelves she couldn't reach and she reorganized the fridge each time he put something inside.

He got to the last bag and pulled out a binder, pens, dividers, file folders, and other random office supplies. "What's all this?" he asked, holding up a package of post it notes.

"Oh!" she said excitedly. "I got you all the things I thought you would need to keep up with your research. I mean, you are going to have get organized. So, I thought you could keep a binder and categorize your information."

He stared at her for a long moment before speaking. "You are amazing, you know that?" He said it without a smile, just a look that told her he meant it.

"So I've been told," she smiled. "Now, I have to get a shower because I feel icky. Wanna make breakfast?"

"Um... yeah. Sure. I can do that. I think." He looked around panicky.

"Finn, you have to learn. I have to leave eventually. Google something. I promise to eat it." She kissed his cheek and disappeared into the hallway.

He turned and pursed his lips as he surveyed his battle ground. "Choose your weapon, I guess," he said to himself.

He decided on pancakes because you just add water. Sounded like a good place to start. The first few were a little burnt on one side but, she enjoyed them and praised his work. He was kind of proud of himself, too. He stood to start gathering the plates and she reached out to stop him.

"No, Sir. You cook, I clean. It's only fair. Besides, I want you to spend some time on your dream this morning." She walked past him holding their dishes and he took his turn at grabbing her arm.

"Thank you for being my friend," he said softly.

"Thank you for making it easy." she returned and continued to the sink.

It only took her thirty minutes to get the kitchen clean. She started to think her offer of reciprocation wasn't fair after she stepped around the corner and saw the mess he had made. How did he get batter on the wall? She couldn't help but smile. He was her Finn, flaws and all. She moved out to the couch to curl her feet underneath her and sit down beside him. Neither of them spoke as he studied something on the computer screen. He sighed often and ran his hands through his hair. He turned his head and half smiled, kissing her with a peck and returning to the screen. She ran her hand along his back in a comforting gesture. She wished there was something she could do to help him. But she was completely blank on what it could be. It was clear to her from his apparent frustration that he either didn't know where to start or had hit a wall again.

"Finn," she spoke quietly.

"Yeah?" he answered never looking away from the screen.

"What can I do?"

He looked back at her and took in the look of concern she held for him. He closed his laptop, sitting it on the coffee table in front of him. He settled back on the couch, resting his arm on the back of it around her shoulders, pulling on her slightly until she nestled into him. "I don't know. I don't even know what to do." His head fell backward in his exasperation. She sat looking at him, her brain churning trying desperately to think of something when it occurred to her that they could be doing this on his couch in Ohio. They came to Georgia for a reason.

"Finn, we need to go to the base." She said simply.

"How will we get in? I am going to have to call and schedule meetings and who knows when or if they will see me?"

"Your Aunt Lisa can get us in. I'm sure she has access as a military wife whose husband is stationed there. And even if she can't I'll bet she knows somebody who can."

"I guess it's worth a shot. Anything is better than sitting here getting nowhere."

Finn dug his phone out of his pocket and got his Aunt on the phone. She agreed to meet them at the base. There was some paper to fill out and sign before they could get their visitors passes. Rachel thought she was picking up on some uneasiness on Lisa's part. It was the same feeling she had yesterday. Maybe she was just being dramatic. Finn didn't seem worried.

"Thanks for meeting us Aunt Lisa. I was starting to freak out because I have no idea where to start with all of this," he said, sounding already defeated.

"Well, Kid, I'm here to help. By the way, Rob said to tell you Hi. I told him how huge you are and that I thought you might actually win one of those wrestling matches you two used to have," she laughed and glanced at him to gauge his mood. He laughed but it didn't quite reach his heart. Lisa pulled into a small lot in front of several bland looking buildings with numbers stenciled by the doors. She shut off the engine and turned toward her nephew. He was wiping his hands down his jeans to dry the sweat and looked like he might throw up.

"Look, Flipper, this is the start of an uncertain journey. You have to be prepared for anything. I will help you with any of this. I know a lot of military connections and your Uncle Rob is totally in your corner. But, sweetheart, I can't promise this is going to be all unicorns and rainbows, you know? War is an ugly thing. The military can be a cold and heartless environment. Don't take anything personally and know in your heart that the people who know you are so proud of you for even thinking to do something like this. The rest of us damn sure didn't. So, there. That is the speech I prepared when your Mom called me and told me you were coming and what you were coming for. Now, we are going in that building and you are going to speak to Sgt. Collins. He was Private Collins when your Dad was Private Hudson. They were close. Served in Iraq together."

Finn nodded and swallowed against the feeling that was rising in his stomach. This was it. He was going to meet someone who knew his Dad in a way that wasn't by relation. He was his buddy. Like his Puck. He would have stories his Mom and sister didn't have. Just like there were things Puck knew that Rachel never would. Not because he was keeping secrets, but because that's what bros did. He released a slow breath and felt a small hand on his right shoulder. He reached up with his left hand, crossing himself to lay it on top of hers. A whisper fell into his ear from the back seat. "You can do this, Finn. I am right here." And with a surge or courage, he exited the car. The women go out shortly after, and Finn took Rachel's hand, holding it tight. The three of them walked silently into the beige building. They were greeted by a lady in uniform. She had a pleasant demeanor but was by no means friendly. Lisa explained that they were there to see Sgt. Collins. and were escorted into an office filled with files and green. Lots of green.

The man sitting at the desk was in his forties. Army buzz prominent on top of his head, but sprinkled with gray. His arms were massive and strained against his sleeves. He glanced up when they came in and his harsh expression immediately softened when he laid eyes on Lisa.

"Well... look who it is... Hud's off limits little sister," he smiled widely and engulfed her in a hug.

"In the flesh," she replied warmly. "How have you been, Duke?"

"Over worked and under appreciated," he quipped before amending, "nah. I've been good. Wife and kids are great. Never got over you though," he said clearly joking innocently.

"Most men never do, most men never do," she said arrogantly before bursting into laughter.

"Speaking of... how's Rob? Everything going Ok over there?" His tone became more reverent and respect filled the room.

"Same as always. Hot and sandy." A sadness took her over for a small second and the years of practicing her poker face took over and it seemed as if she weren't at all bothered by the fact that her husband was thousands of miles away in a war zone.

"I remember," Duke said solemnly. It was then that he glanced over at Finn. His eyes warmed a bit and he took a visible breath. "You must be Hud's boy. Man, you look like your Dad," he grinned slightly at Finn, taking in his features and assessing just what it was about him that reminded the man of his friend.

"Yes, Sir. I'm Finn," he said, extending his hand for a firm hand shake. "This is Rachel," he introduced her with his hand on the small of her back. Either from habit, or the need for reassurance.

"It's good to meet you both. Wanna sit?"

They all took seats and Duke pulled his around his desk to remove the separation. Finn got a little uncomfortable having this guy stare at him like he was. He supposed he was having to process all of this, too. Lisa intervened.

"Duke, my precious nephew is here to find out more about Chris. He, um, well Carole thought that- Ok, see, Finn kind of grew up thinking that his Dad was killed in the line of duty." The man's eyebrows rose and he looked taken aback. " He just recently found out about the discharge and he wants the chance to honor his Dad by clearing his name." She finished by sharing a knowing look that on the outside seemed like nothing, but it put Rachel on alert again. She could not shake this. She had no reason to mistrust either of these people. She chalked it up to her fierce protectiveness of Finn.

"Well, Son, that's a pretty noble thing to do. What exactly to you hope will happen?" He asked in an effort to help.

"I know that I can't have the discharge status reversed. I have done enough homework to know that, but I am just wanting to find out who he was. What he was about, you know. Everybody says he was such an awesome man and I just want to prove that that is true. To myself. To others. I just feel like I need to do something. I am the only legacy he has." Finn spoke from his heart and smiled when Rachel put her hand on his knee to remind him he wasn't alone.

"Your Dad was an awesome man. He was one of the best friends I have ever had. He was really funny. So loyal. And a leader among us all. I would be honored to tell you stories and give you some insight into who your father was." The older man's face was full of sincerity. "So, how much do you know already?"

"Well, I know that he served in Desert Storm. And Mom said something happened over there that broke him and she didn't know what it was. I know that he was addicted to drugs and I know that he left a lot after ho got back. And she said he died of an overdose in Cincinnatti."

Rachel watched as the Sergeant took in Finn's retelling of the events as he knew them. He nodded as he listened, throwing glances at Lisa every once in awhile. She kept an eye on Finn, cautious, like she was ready to jump in and protect him from something.

"Son, your Dad and I served together proudly in the desert. He was a soldier to the core. Fearless. Except one thing. He was always worried for you and your Mom. He worried about leaving you when you were so small and how your Mom was doing left to take care of you alone. He had a little picture of the two of you that he took everywhere with him. Leaving you behind for good was his greatest fear. Cause, he would rush into bombed buildings and drag people out without blinking an eye, but when it came to the people he loved, he always felt like he was failing them and that made him afraid for them."

Rachel wiped a tear that had escaped as she was thinking about how close a description that was to this man's only son. And she kept herself focused on Finn's face. He was taking in this information like it was his only directions for survival.

"Your Dad could always be counted on to do the right thing. He had more integrity than anyone I've known since. I miss him." Duke got a far off look in his eyes and he flinched at an non-verbalized thought. He continued with stories of valor and comedy. Like the time Duke and Chris had been assigned to kitchen duty and pretended to knock over a stack of plates so they wouldn't have to wash them. Or the time Chris brought Duke home with him on leave and the took Carole to the shooting range. These were stories that were brand new to Finn and he was savoring every one of them.

Lisa had one to add. "Do you remember the time you both came to our house after boot camp and you tried to ask me out and he kicked over the kitchen chair and had you on the ground before you could assure him you were just kidding?" The two of them laughed at the shared memory. Rachel looked at Finn and grinned knowingly at the satisfaction on his face to finally find out where he got that temper.

The laughter died down and an awkward silence followed. Finn knew he had to ask it, but he was terrified of the answer. Still, he had come all this way and almost destroyed his life to get there. He wasn't going to get what he needed by playing it safe. So he just said it.

"Do you know what happened over there to make him snap?" he asked quietly. The other people in the room sat perfectly still.

Duke hung his head and closed his eyes. He looked back up at Finn, narrowing his eyes as if sizing up Finn's ability to handle an answer. Seeing the same fierce determination and resolve set into his features the same way Christopher Hudson's did, he knew he had to give an answer.

"Yes, Son. I do." He nodded once and folded his arms in front of his chest.

"What happened? I want to know what could have possibly happened to make him do what he did." Finn was desperate and sitting on the edge of his seat.

Duke looked from him to Lisa whose eyes were a little wider than usual. He looked back at Finn, anxiously waiting the missing to the puzzle that was his Dad.

"Son, I'm not sure you do." he finished with a warning look.

"I'm not either, Sir. but, I don't have a choice anymore." Finn was resolute. He wasn't leaving the state of Georgia without answers and Duke knew that if he was anything like his Dad in the stubborn department, he wasn't likely to leave this office without them either.

"Ok. I will answer your questions. But, first..." He stood and walked to his book shelf, pulling out a hard covered book. From it, he pulled an envelope and walked over to hand it to Finn.

Finn held it in his hands for a moment before running his hand over the writing. _FOR MY SON. _Oh, God, it's from my Dad, he screamed inside his head. Tears flowed freely down his cheeks and he sniffed loudly drawing in a strangled breath. Rachel stood to wrap an arm around his shoulders and lay her head on his. "It's from him, Rachel." he whispered, knowing that what was inside that envelope would change him forever.

**Oh My Goodness! All will become clear in time. Just stay on this ride with me. If you like it... Review! Review! Review! Thank you so much for reading my work! It means a lot!**


	8. Chapter 8

**_You all have been so sweet! Thanks for your words of encouragement! This chapter is going to be mostly Christopher Hudson's letter. So, let's hear what he had to say to his son._**

_Rachel sat on the couch in their apartment watching Finn pace back and forth. He ran his hand through his hair so often that Rachel was afraid he was going to rub a bald spot. He had sat eerily still and silent on the car ride home. Rachel and Lisa kept exchanging worried glances in the rear view. He hadn't put the letter down since he took it out of Duke's hand. He barely managed a good bye and a thank you to his Dad's friend when they had left. He shook the man's hand with an agreement to get together when he was ready. And now, three hours later, she sat watching his internal turmoil, the only sound was the rain pouring outside beating on the roof and rolling down the windows. She had to break the silence. She had to help him get this out before it tore him apart._

_"Baby, are you hungry at all?" she asked, almost inaudibly. He only shook his head no._

_"Do you want to take a hot shower? I know that helps you sort through things sometimes," she really wanted to take this from him. Looking at his tortured face hurt her heart. He shook his head no again in answer to her question._

_She stood and approached him slowly. He stopped when she took his wrist in hers, standing behind him. She placed a kiss on his back before laying her head against it. He didn't turn. He didn't move at all, except to pull her hand around his waist and reach around himself to do the same with the other. He held her against him as if she was the dam that was holding back the waves that were threatening to burst out of him. She felt him shake once with a sob and it was the first time all night that he had cried. She kept wondering how he hadn't. She cried for two days when she found that tape from her Mom. The tape from her Mom. She did have somewhat of an idea how he felt. She walked around him to face him. She took his wrists in hers and pulled him to sit on the floor with her. He still had the letter in his hand. They sat side by side, just staring at it. Something that the grandfather of their children felt was so important he wrote it down in case he wasn't able to deliver the message personally. She spoke again._

_"I don't know what it's like to have a parent die, but I do know what it is like to live without one. The questions and the fantasies of who they were. Did you know that before Shelby came charging into our lives that she made me a tape for Jesse to sneak into my room?" He turned his head to meet her eyes, the sad shaking of his head the only response he seemed capable of. She nodded and continued. "It was a tape of her singing. I guess she knew that would be the best way to peak my interest. She knew that I wouldn't be ale to let it go and I would come to her. I couldn't listen to it right away because Jesse was there and what I really wanted was for you to be there next to me, holding my hand." They shared a sad smile. He wished he had been there, too. I listened to it by myself. Hearing her voice filled something in my heart that had been empty. I guess what I am trying to say is that I am here, Finn. Whenever you are ready to read what is inside that envelope, I am right here." Finn stared at the letter, tears falling onto the paper. He slowly lowered it to the floor and wrapped his arm around his best friend and pulled her into his lap. He scooted them back against the wall and she held his head to her chest. She ran her hands through his hair lovingly trying to soothe his heart. He wasn't crying anymore. He was very quiet. His hand played with the necklace hanging around her neck. He tilted his head up slightly so that his nose was buried in her neck just under her chin. She could feel his breath on her and it sent a shiver down her body. He kissed her softly under the jaw. Once. Twice. A third time. She leaned back, meeting his eyes and holding them with her own. He needed her. He needed her to love all of it away. And she would. She nodded at an unasked question or a silent statement, no one could be sure. She rose to her feet and held out her hands for him to take. She helped pull him up and let go of only one of his hands. As they passed, she bent to pick up the letter, holding it to her heart as she led him to their bedroom. She placed it on the dresser as they passed. She backed herself down on the bed, the light of the moon filling the room around them. Her eyes never left his as he crawled onto the bed knees first. He laid down beside her, head on her chest, listening to her heart. A heart he knew beat in rhythm with his own. A heart that belonged to him. Something special that belonged to only him._

_He propped himself up on his elbow to look down at her face. He gently cupped her jaw with his free hand, letting his thumb caress her cheek bone. Her eye closed and she turned her lips into his palm to place a kiss there before returning her dark eyes to focus on him. he lowered his head to kiss her so lightly she wondered if their lips had touched at all. He raised his face back up and tucked a hair behind her ear, continuing his glance down her body, letting his hand follow his eyes._

_"Rachel-" he whispered._

_"I know," she whispered back._

_She was watching him take her in. When his eyes finally returned to rest upon hers again, his need took over and he crushed her with a kiss that brought a heated moan from them both. She let him have her, let him guide them. Whatever he needed, she gave. She comforted him as she loved him with her body. Her arms held him tightly as he exploded into and around her. She found her own release earlier this time and they just lay still as she stroked her hand up and down his back. "I am so thankful for you, Rachel." He told her. "I feel the same way about you, Finn." And they found their places for the night. He clung to her like a little boy after a nightmare. And she calmed him to sleep with her warmth._

_It was about 3am when he woke her._

_"Rach- Rachel," he whispered and shook her softly to wake her._

_"Hmm?" she groaned sleepily as she came into awareness. "Finn?" she sat up. "What's wrong? What time is it?"_

_"It's just after 3:00. I am ready," he said, sounding sure._

_"OK. Do you want me to hold your hand? Or maybe make you some coffee?" She rubbed his back lightly as she yawned._

_"No. I want you to read it to me." He looked her straight in the eyes._

_"O—O—OK. Are you sure?" She was still trying to wake up and she was a little taken aback._

_"Yeah. I can't do it. And, I need to know what's in it. Will you do this for me?" his voice took on a higher pitch and it shook a bit with emotion._

_"Of course I will," she caressed his face. "It will be an honor." She smiled at him before getting up to retrieve the letter. _

_She returned to the bed next to him and they sat side by side supported by pillows against the headboard. She looked at him once more for assurance that he was indeed ready for this and he nodded his reply. She opened the seal and he drew a deep breath. She rested her hand on his thigh and kissed his bare shoulder before continuing on. He closed his eyes and leaned his head bak against the wall behind them and listened to her read his father's words out loud._

_****__Finn- my son,_

_****__I am writing this to you from a place far away from Ohio. I miss you so much. I bet you are getting so big. Your Mom's last letter said that you had started eating solid food and you were outgrowing your clothes really fast. That's my boy. You will grow up to be big and strong. I wish I was there to see you grow, but if you are reading this now, that probably wasn't the case. And, I'm sorry about that._

_Rachel stopped to wipe away the tears that had spilled from her eyes. She snuck a glance at Finn to see that he hadn't moved. She went on._

_****__There were so many things I wanted to teach you. Like how to change a tire, throw a ball, talk to a girl. But, I'm sure you'll figure all of that out. Please know that every ounce of self preservation I used over here was to get me back to you. And your Mom. Take care of your Mom, OK? She loves us both a lot and after raising you on her own, or with someone else if that makes her happy, you owe her your effort. She's a good woman, Finn, which I am sure you are well aware. I didn't think I had ever been happier than the day she said she would marry me. Then she did, and that day became the happiest day of my life. Then she said you were coming and it just got better, but when I held you for the first time, I was lost. Happy wasn't a strong enough word. Always know that whether you knew me or not, I was your Dad and I was so proud of you. _

_****__I want to give you some life advice that a boy should get from his father. Never be afraid to stand up for what you believe in. Fight like hell for it. Even if everyone around you abandons you, never let go of what is right. Always stand up for others. There are people in this world who need others to be their voice. Be that voice. Don't ever be afraid to cry. There's no shame in it. I cried like a baby when you were born. Didn't think I was gonna stop. Cried when I came back over here away from my little family. Hell, kid, I'm crying right now._

_Rachel giggled through her tears. Finn still hadn't moved._

_**Always be true to who you are. Never try to be someone just because everyone else says you should be. Find out who you are and just be. Respect women. We wouldn't be here without them. And if you are ever lucky enough to find a girl that owns your heart like your Mom owns mine, don't let her go.**_

She felt his large fingers slip between her own, the rest of him unmoving. She smiled a small smile and kept reading.

_**Once in a lifetime love comes once in a lifetime. Don't screw it up. Love with all you have. Never stop chasing her. Tell her she's beautiful. Tell her you love her. There's nothing like the love of a good woman, son. Treat it like a precious treasure. And, now this part is probably going to embarrass you a little. But, let's go ahead and get sex out of the way. Sex is a wonderful thing. It feels good and can be special with the right girl. I didn't get special the first time. I was drunk and she was easy. But, the next time? That was the love of my life. Never take it lightly. And be safe. I want you to be as happy on the day you have a child as I was the day you were born. Don't taint it with fear and regret beause you weren't smart. But, if the unxpected happens, I want you to be a man who stands behind his responsibilities.**_

Finn opened his eyes for the first time and a tear rolled out of one of them. Rachel reached up to wipe it away. "Do you want me to stop?" she asked carefully through her own tears. She gave up on wiping them away. "No," he answered shortly. She nodded and found her place.

_**Enough about that, health class should take care of most of it. OK, what else? Be spontaneous. Seize every moment to live and have a good time. Laugh whenever you can and always finish what you start. Keep your promises and don't make them without meaning them. Work hard. Don't be lazy. Lazy never got anyone anywhere. Oh... and cheer for the Buckeyes. That's very important.**_

_**I guess you met Duke. He's the one I'm giving this letter to. He's my best friend. I hope you have one. A guy that sticks by you no matter what. Gets in the foxhole with you. Don't get me wrong. Duke has pissed me off more times than I can count, but he's always there.**_

_**Find your passion. Figure out what makes you fly and pursue it with everything you've got. I want you to do whatever in life lights you up on the inside. Whatever it is. I would've supported your choices. I would have done anything to get you to your dream. Dream, Finn. Never be afraid to dream.**_

_**I really hope you never have to read this. I hope I am able to say these things to you in person. But, if that isn't the case. Please know that I don't want my ghost to hold you back from anything. Live your life in a way that honors the Hudson name. I may tarnish it before it's all over with, but you will have the chance to make up for it. You know how? Be a man that I just described. Do the things I've just told you to do. That will make for one hell of a Hudson, don't you think? My fate is my fate. Not yours. You live the life you want and don't worry about things you can't change. I will always be a part of you. Your Mom says you're already a lot like your old man. God, I hope you got all the good and none of the bad. I am sorry I had to leave you. I know it isn't fair. Life's not always fair. But it is always worth living. I love you, son, more than you will ever know until you have a kid of your own. You made me a Dad. I will be forever grateful to you for that. Until later.**_

_** Your Dad,**_

_** Chis Hudson**_

Rachel sniffled and folded the letter, placing it back in it's home. She wiped away her tears and risked a glance at Finn. His head was still back , eyes closed, but his face was soaked. She rose up on her knees and straddled his lap. It wasn't for seduction it was for access to his face. She wiped away his tears, he was so still. She put her arms around his neck and and held him tight. The silence went on for a long while. He was still running his father's words over and over in his head. He finally broke the silence without moving a muscle.

"Am I that man, Rachel?" he asked in a raspy hushed voice.

She pulled away so she could take his face in her hands. She made a point of making unwavering eye contact.

"Yes. Yes , you are, Finn. You are everything he wanted you to be and more. So much more."

Her sincerity moved him and he clutched her body to his. Over her shoulder he murmured, "Thank you so much. Thank you for reading that to me, I know it wasn't easy. And thank you for making me a man my father would be proud of."

"You are welcome, Finn, but I didn't make you into anything. You are that man all on your own. I just remind you of it every once in awhile."

They held onto each other until they both couldn't resist sleep any longer. He took his message and laid in on the night stand beside him. They returned to their original sleeping positions and got comfortable. Just as she was drifting off she said, "Are you glad we read it?"

"Yeah. I'm glad. I love you so much."

"I love you. Good night , Finn."

"Good night."

And they slept. A peaceful sleep. And although Finn didn't know what to do next, he knew exactly what he could do to make his Dad proud. He had heard it directly form the source. He admitted to himself that he possessed many of those qualities. And had handled a few situations the right way, too. He was going to dream. He wasn't going to let Rachel go. And he was going to get someone to understand that his Dad was a hero. But, all that could wait. Because tonight, he was going to sleep cuddled safely in next to his girl and let the rest fall into place in the morning.

With the sunlight came the memory of the night before. He had heard from his Dad. The man that had been a mystery and an 8x10 hung on the wall for his whole life. The brunette head lying next to him stirred and gravitated in his direction.

"Afternoon," he said.

"Really?" she didn't even lift her head in panic.

"Yeah... it's like 1:15pm." He stretched his arms above his head, grasping his hands together and carrying the stretch out in front of him, bringing one of them to rest on her back as her body was draped across his.

"I don't think I have ever slept this late." she grinned before yawning and doing a little stretching of her own.

"Never had anybody wake you and make you read in the middle of the night, either," he offered.

"It was worth it. How do you feel today?" she asked him cautiously.

"Good, Rach. I feel surprisingly good. I mean, I know what would make him proud. And I think I would have, you know?"

"Yes, I do know. Finn, I couldn't believe how closely he was describing you in that letter. It was uncanny. You two must be a lot alike."

"You think so?" he asked with hope.

"I know it," she gave his torso a squeeze.

He smirked to himself. He felt a weight had been lifted. He felt like he could pack up now, having wasted an entire trip to be rectified in just a couple of days. But, he knew he had to get other people, important people to see his Dad as the awesome dude he was, not the druggie the war drove him to be. he wondered how his Dad had gotten from the man who wrote the letter to the man who left his family and overdosed. It didn't make any sense. And sure, Finn was that kind of man now, but what about in the future. What if he lost it, too? He had to know what happened. He had to know what was so horrible that it altered his father in a way that was unstoppable and irreversible. He had so many questions. And now that he had read his letter, he was going to go back to the one person he knew had the answers.

**On a computer screen in a secure location...**

**USER NUMBER: 321450**

**FILE: REACTIVATED**

**FINN HUDSON, SON OF CHRISTOPHER HUDSON, HAS ARRIVED AT FORT BENNING. INSTRUCTIONS FOR NEXT ACTION REQUESTED.**

**Did you need tissue? I did! And what is up with that ending? More clues in the next chapter. I will resolve the mystery soon, but I don't want to rush it. Thanks for reading! Let me have your thoughts! Review is a good way to do that!**


	9. Chapter 9

**I am so happy to hear you loved the last chapter! And I am having the best time on this journey with all of you. I am sorry it has taken so long to update. I have ben out of town and my son had a baseball tournament. But, here's the next installment! I hope you love it!**

Finn's week off flew by after they read Chris' letter. He had reread it himself every day since, more than once a day. He couldn't get enough of his Dad's words meant just for him. For his whole life, Chris Hudson had been this untouchable enigma. A mystery that would never be solved. He was a leather chair. He was an urn on the mantle. But, now he was a Dad. An advice giving Dad. Finn had always missed not having a Dad for the sake of having a dad, but now he found himself missing the actual person. And he was angry. He was more angry than he had ever been that this person was taken from him. It was boiling inside him just under the surface threatening to blow. He welcomed the manual work that Margot gave him on this, his first day, because it would help him get his mind busy and his body could relieve the stress through exertion. His first task was to take care of the grass on the property. Margot had offered him a riding mower, but Finn had asked for a push mower. He wanted the work.

Rachel sat inside the place she was now calling home. A whole week had gone by and that left her just nine here to help Finn through all of this. She watched him through the window, ear buds in, pumping the heavy metal, she was sure. His face was clenched and his body was rigid. He threw his whole self into every push on the handle. She sipped her coffee, arms wrapped around herself. She had never seen him like this. She had seen him hurt, disappointed, downright furious, but this? This was something new altogether. It was deeper. Darker. And it was taking him over. For two days, he had been snapping at her. He never snapped at her. She found herself trying to be as quiet as possible. She understood that he had a lot going on and she was trying to be patient with him, but it was kind of starting to sting a little. She backed away from the window and sat down to check her email. She hadn't been in contact with the outside world since they had been there except to let her Dad's know they made it and the random texts with Kurt. She immediately deleted the spam and scrolled through the rest. There were two from her Dad. She answered them right away, letting him know they were settled and had already made some progress on Finn's end. She left out the dark cloud that seemed to follow him everywhere he went. A few were from their glee friends who were just checking up on them. She sent quick replies to each of them. Then, one subject line caught her eye and her heart fell to her stomach. It was from the registrar's office at NYADA. The subject line read: Urgent information regarding your schedule. Had they made a mistake and now had to tell her she didn't get in after all? She took a deep breath and clicked.

_Dear Ms. Berry,_

_We are very happy that you have chosen NYADA to further your performing arts education. We look forward to working with you in the Fall. We are writing to offer you a rare opportunity. Starting in four weeks, we will be providing a workshop for those entering freshmen that were marked as especially gifted. You have been chosen as one of those people due to your impressive talent. This workshop is optional and will not effect your acceptance. It is, however, a chance to get a leg up on your competition. If you plan on accepting this limited offer, you have two weeks from the date of this e-mail to respond. If by that time, we have not heard from you, we will assume you are declining. Please consider this opportunity very seriously. Congratulations on being selected. It is an honor not bestowed upon many._

_ Sincerely,_

_ Margaret Hampton_

_ Registrar_

Rachel sat wide eyed with her hand over her mouth. Tears filled her eyes at the thought of the impossible dilemma she now faced. Her thoughts raced with thoughts. She was honored. She was thrilled. She was devastated. She was lost. What about Finn? If she told him, he would force her to go like he did at the train station. She needed time to think about this. But, she didn't have much to work with. She was going to have to talk to Finn about this. There was no way she was telling him right now. Not until she had made up her mind. And that couldn't happen until she wrapped her head around the situation she suddenly found herself in. It was too much to take in. She sat in a state of confusion and just being plain overwhelmed. Her hands were shaking when she glanced up and saw Finn coming toward the door. She slammed her laptop shut just before he entered the room. He was covered in sweat and was wiping it from his face with the bottom of his shirt. Be cool, Rachel. Be. Cool.

"Hey, Babe," he said with little feeling.

"Hi. All done?" she asked, trying to cover the tremble in her voice.

"Yeah," he said, grabbing a bottled water from the fridge quickly sucking it down before grabbing another. It disappeared in no time as well. He tossed it in the trash as he exited the kitchen area. "I'm gonna go get a shower," he stated as he passed her, walking back to their room.

Rachel just stayed on the couch feeling something she couldn't describe. She was obviously still in shock over the email she had received. But, then there was the matter of him. She wasn't mad at him. She wasn't hurt, exactly. She was... what? Scared, she thought. This feeling was fear. Fear that the events of the past few days had changed her Finn irrevocably. And, now she may have to leave him earlier than expected. What if he didn't recover from this? What if it jaded him in a way that he couldn't just bounce back from. She just wished he would tell her what he was thinking that was making him like this. She thought after they read the letter, he was relieved. That he had somehow gotten some of the answers he was craving. He had seemed like he thought it was a wonderful thing. But, the next day the darkness started creeping in. It was happened slowly and anyone who didn't know him as well as she did, might not have noticed. Whatever he was thinking was consuming him and he was keeping it to himself. She had to find a way to get it out of him before it ate him alive.

When he returned, she was making him a sandwich because she knew he would be starving after all that work. He rounded the corner and smiled a half smile. She warmed the heart he was steadily working toward icing over. He knew that sandwich was for him because it had three types of meat on it. She didn't eat meat and she hated mustard. He felt like an ass. He had been so short with her even when he knew she was just trying to help him. Even when he knew he desperately needed her to. He had shut her out. But that ended now. He was going to make it up to her and he was going to start immediately. Selfish jerk, he thought about himself. She was the one perfect, consistent thing he had in his life and he was an idiot for taking it for granted for even a second. Moving toward her, he slowly wrapped his arms around her from behind and placed three kisses on the top of her head as she worked.

"Thanks, Babe. That's really sweet. And I am starving," he said with more enthusiasm than she had heard from him in days.

"Well, you worked hard out there. You need to eat," she smiled cautiously as she placed the top piece of bread on his lunch without making any other moves. He flinched at her skittishness around him. What the hell was he doing? She turned in his arms and offered him the plate. without really looking at him. He looked at it a second, took it from her and set it on the counter behind her. He studied her questioning eyes for a moment before taking her face in his hands and lowering his head to kiss her. Softly. Lovingly. He pulled her to him in his giant embrace and breathed, "I'm so sorry, Rachel. I've been an asshole for the past few days, and I am so sorry. You are the last person I ever want to hurt. I make no excuses, but only ask you to forgive me?" She pulled away from his chest and tilted her head back to look him in the eyes. She stared at him intently for a moment, knowing her answer would, of course, be yes. Her hand stroked his guilty face and she watched his eyes close as he took in her touch.

She spoke quietly. "On one condition."

His eyes opened slowly and they held a look of alarm.

"Finn, let me help you. Tell me what you're feeling. I know you and if you don't start talking about this, you won't be OK. And I really need for you to be OK." she pleaded with him. Her hand slid from his cheek to the back of his neck, where she rubbed lightly.

He nodded slowly and bent his head down to kiss her forehead, lingering against it for a moment. "I promise, Rachel. Thank you for always having my back," he smiled with one side of his mouth. "But, can I eat first? I'm so hungry." He whined a little.

She laughed and shook her head at his precious begging. "Of course you can." She reached behind her and handed him his plate. Again. He turned to walk away into the living room. "I love you, Finn." she said with confidence. He stopped in his tracks, turned around, and walked right back to her. He met her eyes in an intense stare. "I love you, too, Rachel. More than anything." He reached down, took her hand in his, and led her to sit with him as he ate. When he was finished, he took his plate to the sink and brought drinks back for both of them. Falling onto the couch with a sigh, he took a long drink and laid his head over in her lap. She giggled a little and began running her hand through his hair. It was silent for awhile, giving him a moment to think of where he wanted to start and she patiently gave it to him. She watched him closely and fought every urge to rush him along.

"Rachel, my Dad sounded like an awesome guy in that letter, right?" he asked as if he wasn't sure.

"He absolutely did. He sounded a lot like you." Her voice was tender.

"That's what is eating me alive." He heaved a sigh and lifted his eyes to meet hers. She wrinkled her forehead together, clearly thrown.

"Why? I thought it would make you glad, you know? To know how much he cared about you." She tilted her head in some subconscious effort to comprehend exactly what it was he was getting at.

"Well, yeah. But, you know how my fear all along has been that I was going to turn out like he did?" Rachel nodded sympathetically and continued running her hand through his hair.

"And everyone said, 'but that's your Dad, not you?' What if we are so much alike that I will lose my way and end up a drunken loser who runs away from his family to die alone?" He was officially choking up as he sped the words out of his mouth before he lost the nerve to say it out loud. "What if you end up like my Mom? Miserable for years until you finally find someone worthy of you? I mean look how I have treated you these past few days. One major life problem and I retreated. I fell like puking just thinking about it."

Overcome with feelings, Rachel fought to not look at him incredulously. She closed her eyes and shook her head. This was what was bothering him? How was she going to fix this one?

"Say something, Rach." He begged.

She inhaled a deep calming breath and wiped away the tears that were falling into his ears. "Finn Hudson, when are you ever going to realize who you are? You are the strongest person I know. Yes, you have been moody. You have every right to be. Whose awareness caused you to come out of it? Yours. I didn't say anything to you about it. I didn't bring it to your attention. You couldn't make it in self pity for more than three days. And, you couldn't stand the thought of it hurting me. And, look at your life growing up. You took care of your Mom. Everything you did was for her. To make her proud of you. You took care of Quinn. She was lying, sure, but you didn't know. You never wavered from your responsibility or love for that baby girl. You took care of Kurt. Stood up for him when he needed it. Made him your brother. You took care of Santana even after she slapped you senseless. And, God, how you've taken care of me. You have made me a better person. I don't know what happened to your Dad over there. But, he had some kind of life altering trigger. The chances of that happening to you are slim at best. You and your Dad may have shared a lot of the same traits, but his past does not predict your future."

Tears were rolling back onto her lap still and he was wiping them away as well as he could.

"Rachel, will you promise me that if you see me starting back into the dark you'll just kick me in the nuts or something?" he chuckled through his tears and she chuckled with him.

"I don't know about that, but I won't let it go too far. I promise. Will you promise me something?"

He nodded silently.

"Promise me that you will talk about your wounds when you get them and not after they fester."

He grinned as he nodded. "I promise," he grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips for a kiss. "Thank you so much," he whispered and reached up to pull her chin down.

She bent willingly, raising her knee which held his head up slightly for easier access and kissed him softly, still stroking his hair. "It's what we do, Finn. Now, are you ready to get back to what we came here for?"

It took him awhile to formulate his answer. He was a little gun shy now. Whatever happened over there had to be horrifying. He wasn't sure if he really wanted to know. But, he had to. He had to prove that it was outside forces that caused his Dad's down fall.

"I think so. I'm scared to death." He confessed felling safer with her than anyone else alive.

"I know. I'm right here, remember? And I always will be." She tensed when she said it, remembering the email that was about to burn a hole through that computer.

"Yeah," was all he said in reply and it came out through the sweetest dimpled smile he had in his repertoire.

They spent the next two hours on that couch withs two laptops, googling every piece of information they had about Chris Hudson and his time in the service. They were coming up short. Very short.

"Aaaaaaaah! This is pointless, Rachel. I have already been through all of this. It tells us nothing." His hand thrust through his hair in frustration.

"Well, we could always go back to the base to talk to Duke. He told you to come back when you were ready." she tried to calm him and searched his face for a clue as to what he was considering.

"I guess it's what we have to do:" he shrugged in defeat. "If I am ever going to get some satisfaction, I guess he's the obvious place to start. Will you come with me?"

She cast a nervous glance at her computer. "Of course. Of course I will," and she wrapped her arms around his waist cuddling into him.

"What if I find something disturbing?" he whispered.

"Then, we find it together." She said simply, determined that he not go through this alone.

It was another couple of hours before they arrived back on base. Sgt. Collins had given them access passes while they were there, so it was much easier to come and go. And, Lisa didn't have to drive an hour every time. Rachel sat in the passenger side of his car watching him stare at the building and grip his hands on the steering wheel. Realizing he couldn't make himself get out, she reached over, pulled his hands away from the wheel and said, "let's go." He nodded and stiffly exited the vehicle. He did this weird little shake thing that he used to do before a game. It was kind of like what a dog did after a bath, except, he also hopped in place while he did it. She found it's motivating effect on him fascinating. They walked the same path back to Duke's office, being greeted more warmly this time b the receptionist out front. As they entered Duke's office, he was on the phone, but glanced up with a nod and the showing of his finger to indicate he wouldn't be long. He finished up a conversation that involved too many acronyms to keep up and stood to offer a hand shake to Finn. Finn reciprocated and Rachel did the same.

"Finn, I am so glad you decided to come back. To be honest, I didn't know if you would. I assume you read the letter?" he asked seriously but, gently.

"Yes, Sir. I read it a lot, actually. And, at first, I was really happy. He said a lot of things in it that I needed to hear. And, I feel like I got a very real glimpse of who he really was. But, then I started to worry that if he could lose it like he did, then maybe I could, too." Finn glanced at Rachel who tightened her grip on his hand to remind him she was there. She nodded at him to continue. "But, Rachel helped me see that just because it happened to him doesn't mean it'll happen to me. That something broke him. And I really have to know what that was. What was so awful that he turned to drugs to numb it and left his family alone." Finn breathed deeply, proud of himself for actually getting all of that out without crying like a baby.

Sgt. Collins leaned back in his office chair and crossed his thick arms in front of his chest. He narrowed his eyes a bit and pursed his lips slightly, assessing Finn as a man often assesses another. He was trying to decide just what this kid was made of. But, he saw so much of his friend when he looked closely, he had a good idea what made him tick. His eyes turned to Rachel for jut a moment, seeing her watch his friend's boy like she would attack anything that tried to hurt him. He couldn't help but smile at her when she caught him staring. Realizing the silence had gone on a bit too long, he finally spoke.

"Alright, kid. I'll tell you the story. But, I have to warn you that it isn't a pretty one. You are going to hear things and get images in your head that I can't take away from you. But, I want you to know that your Dad was a hero. I don't care what official papers say. The US Army didn't have the whole story and without proof, there was nothing I could do."

Finn nodded uncomfortably, knowing that his life was at one of those moments where there was your life before you knew and your life after. "I'm ready. I have to know. I can't move on with my life or figure out who I really am until I do." Finn sat at the edge of his chair, biting his cheek and nodding furiously.

"Well, as you know, your Dad and I were stationed in Iraq. We had been sent on a mission to track down some of the Middle Eastern officers who were conspiring in a terror plot against the US. One of them was considered royalty. The other was a government official who was killing his citizens at random to show power. Our troop was assigned to plant explosives around the base of a home where both men were scheduled to meet." Duke stopped and seemed lost in a moment from long ago that was taking place freshly inside his head today. Finn swallowed hard as he was taking it all in with dread. "Anyway, your Dad took the lead in wiring the explosives. I stayed back on the radio to warn him of any interference. Once he was finished, he returned to us with the detenator. He received the signal from our commander at the time and he pulled the trigger." Duke's face hardened and his eyes darkened. An atmosphere of anxiety flooded the small office. Duke struggled to go on. Finn couldn't move. "We, waited for the smoke to clear and flames to be extinguished and went to insure that we were successful." His eyes closed. It was hard for him to finish. He cleared his throat and licked his dry lips. "When we got down to the rubble, we were expecting to see our enemies. Instead, we saw the bodies of a bunch of children," his voice finally broke at the end and he hung his head as he tried to hold back the overwhelming emotion.

As for Finn, he sat in shocked silence. His heart began to beat out of his chest and his stomach lurched. What must his Dad have felt like in that moment? He looked at Rachel for support and saw her tears falling in silence.

Duke finally got it together enough to continue. "Some were babies, not any older than you were at the time. The terrorists received advanced warning of our plan through some leaked intelligence reports. The children were from the local orphanage and children from the enemies of those bastards. The leader of the cell had them brought there so that we would look like baby killers to the rest of the country, putting us in danger where we were, and losing the respect of our own people." Duke's jaw clenched and fire shot from his eyes as he worked to recount the events as he remembered them. "We had to think fast. So we decided, as a troop, that we would bury the bodies and cover up the incident so that it wouldn't get back to the media or Iraqi government. After that, your Dad couldn't sleep. He had nightmares and visions of what he had seen in that wreckage. So, the psych examiner gave him something to calm him, help him sleep. Before too long, he was addicted to it. We all knew it. Chris knew it. He went back to the psych guy to tell him he felt like he was becoming dependent and the guy blew it off, saying that he just needed more. And he continued to supply it until Chris threatened to go to the officers and tell them about his situation and ask to be assigned to another psych evaluator."

Finn sat, mouth open, riveted by this story, beginning to finally piece together what might have caused his Dad's eventual downfall. He had Rachel's hand in a death grip.

"So, the psych evaluator, to cover his own ass, went to them first to report your Dad. Said he had refused to refill his prescription and that your Dad must have been stealing the drugs. Threw him under the bus to save himself, sorry son of a bitch. We tried to appeal, but it was one word against another. In the end, they believed the piece of shit over your Dad. He was sent home with a dishonorable discharge and left to carry the burden of killing innocent children, unable to accept it as beyond his control."

Finn felt unable to breathe. His chest was constricted and his ears were bright red. He rose from his seat where he had been frozen throughout the tale. He paced again as he had when he got home with his Dad's letter. Grief for his Dad and how he must have felt walking in and seeing the grisly sight he saw. Pity for the burden he carried. But, perhaps the one that was the strongest was the full on rage that was boiling inside of him for the dick who sold him out. The son of a bitch that took his dad away.

Rachel could see it. She could feel it radiating from him and her eyes widened and her breath quickened. She shot a warning plea to Duke, trying to get him to see it, too. And he did. He had actually seen in before. Many times before. Just from a different Hudson. He stood slowly and walked around to place a hand on Finn's shoulder, stopping his movement and commanding his attention. "What are you thinking, Son?"

Without looking up, Finn spoke through gritted teeth. "Why am I just hearing this story now? Why does my Mom not know about this? Why was it all just swept under the rug like it didn't even matter?" He had reached a full blown scream. Rachel shot from her chair and took him by the arm, dragging him out of the office. On the other side of the office door, he fell to his knees and she held him as tightly as her arms could bear. He convulsed with sobs of anger and loss. He kept repeating one word. "Why?" He eventually calmed somewhat and she felt secure enough to let go of him.

"Finn, look at me." He shook his head sadly. "I said, look at me, dammit." His head shot up immediately. Rachel didn't curse. Why was Rachel cursing? "What you just heard is worse than horrendous. I am so sorry that you had to go through hearing it, but, I know what you are thinking. Finding someone and kicking his ass is not the solution to all of this. We have to take some time and really think about what we need to do. Do you understand me? You have to remain calm and rational. We will find a way around this. But, you are going to have to stay in control of your temper. Can you do that? Can you do it for your Dad?" She received a reassuring nod. "OK, now, Duke is there to help you. Reliving that nightmare was not easy for him, but he did it for you. And, Finn, your Mom didn't know because your Dad didn't want her to. Remember? She told you he wouldn't talk about it? He was keeping it from her to protect her opinion of him. You've done that with me, except on a much less destructive level. We have to go back in there and you can't be mad at him."

Finn's breathing was returning to normal. "Ok, Rach. I can do that.," he agreed.

He stood first, pulling her up with him. They quietly entered Duke's office again and he met them almost at the door.

He and Finn locked eyes for a brief moment.

"Look, Kid, I know that was an overwhelming amount of information to take in. And in answer to your question, I am telling you because you are my best friend's son. His legacy. I always knew that if you showed up I would never deny you any of it. And, I know you want this to be rectified, and if there was a way to do it, I would have already, but there isn't."

Finn looked at his Dad's friend for a long time. "Thank you for telling me. I am grateful for your willingness to help me. But, with all due respect Sir, I have learned that nothing is impossible. A very special girl reminds me of that every single day. I will find a way to make this right."

And with that, he pulled Rachel behind him and out the door to get started on doing just that.

Duke closed his eyes and sighed. He turned toward his desk and picked up the phone, dialing a series of numbers. "Hey. The kid has a hell of a stubborn streak. (pause) No, I only told him what he had to know. (pause) I don't think he is going to give up easily. What do you want me to do if he discovers the rest of the story? (pause) Will do." He returned the receiver to its base and returned to his chair. "Well, Kid, I hope you're ready for this," he said with a sigh.

**I hope it was worth the wait! Again, I am sorry for keeping you waiting. I have missed you guys and I have missed Finn and Rachel! Just when you think you've got it wrapped up, there's still more to uncover! I promise a quicker update this time! Review for me? I will be forever grateful! :)**


	10. Chapter 10

**OK! Finally got some time to write! Isn't summer supposed to be lazy? **

**So, Finn knows what his Dad saw that set his downfall in motion. But, does he know the whole story? And what about Rachel? Will she cut their summer four weeks short and got to NYADA earlier than planned? I promise the pay off will be worth the wait. But, we have had a lot of heavy and I don't know about you, but I need some fun Finn and Rachel! Hope you have fun with us!**

Finn was still processing the overload of information he had received four days later. He felt some sense of validation in that he had known there had to be outside sources. He had tried putting himself in his Dad's shoes to comprehend what he had gone through. He had unknowingly killed children. Babies. It was unimaginable. It would have sent the strongest of the strong into the pits of despair. But, it was the "doctor" that was now the focus of Finn's attention. Who was this guy and why did he purposefully keep his Dad strung out? And, then to let him take the fall? He had to pay one way or another and Finn would not stop until he made that happen. But, other than the all consuming fury he felt for the guy, he was feeling much better. The weight of wondering if he would turn out the same way had been lifted. While he couldn't begin to fathom the horror his Dad had witnessed, he could imagine something that could make him want to stop living. Losing Rachel. She had been like some sort of super powered support system these last few days and he had decided to drop the quest for vengeance for a little while and just work on spoiling her a little bit. Most high school couples went through separations and they went through growing up issues that drove them apart. It seemed like this crisis of actual importance, something that the most mature of adults might let tear them down, was actually bringing them closer together. They were a team. Like Batman and Robin, although they did occasionally argue over who got to be Batman. And, if she wasn't here... well, he didn't even want to think about it. So, after he finished his last request of the day which was repairing the toilet in 3C, which had apparently gotten messed up when the resident three year old tried to flush her flip flop, he was gonna go clean up and surprise Rachel with some quality time. Rachel had been spending her time on her vocal practice and she had been studying up on the subjects she saw in the NYADA catalog so that she would have some knowledge in each area. She also spent a lot of time out by the pool, reading and listening to music. You would think she would have been as relaxed as butter, but he could tell something was going on in her head. She had been preoccupied at times and seemed almost shaky when he told her how glad he was that she was with him. He just chalked it up to the tension he projected. Which was shy he was going to work harder at finding the balance between his work, his Dad, and his Rachel.

He was packing up his tools when the single Mom who lived in 3C came in to thank him. She was young. Very young, couldn't have been more than 20, and she was constantly trying to sell things that Finn was pretty sure she gave away for free. She was tall and thin, tan and blonde. Her boobs were the biggest thing about her except her bravado and Finn always felt uncomfortable when he had to go in there. Though it had only been two weeks, the she had put in six different orders. It was always stuff she could probably do herself and after call number four, he caught on to the fact that it wasn't repairs she wanted. For all he knew, she flushed the flip flop herself. She was definitely on the prowl and he didn't dare tell Rachel for fear she would mow the woman down in the parking lot. He tried to ignore her, but when she moved to hug him for fixing her toilet, he backed away quickly.

"Just doing my job," he mumbled and made a hasty exit. What was wrong with her? Everything about him screamed taken.

On his way across the lot, he ran into Margot. She had been such a life saver and he had no complaints about the job. It was a total cake walk. He almost felt like he was taking advantage of her. Aside from weekly lawn work, he just did random jobs. And, some days, there was no work to do at all.

"Well, hello there, handsome," she drawled smiling up at him under a pair of hot pink rhinestoned sunglasses as big as her head, "how's it goin'?"

"Good, Margot, and thanks again for the job and the apartment.

"Don't you thank me, Sugar. It's great having you around here. And, that precious little future wife of yours, too. Did you know she brings me cookies? We chat all the time. Firecracker for sure."

Finn smiled at the lady's assessment of Rachel. He recalled a conversation they had had about fireworks once. He was such an idiot that day. But, Margot was right, being with Rachel wasn't about seeing fireworks, it was about holding one in your arms. He chuckled at the thought and felt the sudden need for her that was always there, just stronger at random times.

"Yes, Ma'am. She is special. And I'm gonna have to talk to her about giving away my cookies," he joked.

"Hey, now. Don't you go deprivn' me!" They shared a laugh. "Hey, how are things goin' with your Daddy's business? You getting' anywhere with that?"

"Actually, yeah. I got a letter he left me and I found out about his time in Iraq. He went through some pretty awful things and was betrayed by someone he trusted. So, now it's about proving that. Thank you for asking, though." Finn smiled genuinely. He really was beginning to heal.

"That's wonderful, Sweetie, just wonderful. Well, you let me know if you need anything, hear?"

"Actually," he began timidly, "the lady in 3C kind of creeps me out. She's always staring at me and just a minute ago she tried to hug me for unclogging her toilet. She has put in six requests since I've been here. I know she knows about Rachel, so, she knows not to go there. Could you, maybe, talk to her?" He didn't want to sound whiny, but he also didn't want to be put in a compromising position.

"I sure will, Baby. She just can't seem to keep herself to herself, you know? She takes care of that baby, but she prowls around, too. I'll let her know in no uncertain terms that you are here to work and if she can't respect that, she can fix her own damn toilet." Finn couldn't help but laugh and Margot reached up to hug him. "See you tomorrow, Hun, and don't eat all my cookies!" she called over her shoulder. Finn just shook his head. That woman rocked!

Music was blaring throughout the apartment when he opened the front door. He called for her twice with no answer. He walked down the hall and stopped just inside their bedroom door where he could hear the water running into the bath tub. He bit his bottom lip to keep from laughing out loud at what he saw. There was his fiance in her hot pink bra and matching panties, singing into her hair brush and dancing as if she were live at Radio City. She had her back to him and so he was at a total advantage. The underwear part was totally hot, but it was her carefree performance that had him riveted. Look at her, he thought. She's the cutest thing I have ever seen in my life. Her impromptu performance continued through the end of the song and she nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard his applause coming from behind her.

"Finn!" she yelped as she grabbed a bed pillow and threw it at him out of reflex. He bent to dodge it, throwing his arms up to bat it away. The embarrassment colored her face as she tried to compose herself. She tugged at her bra and shimmied a little and blew her bangs out of her eyes just once and that was enough to cause him to lose his composure completely. He laughed harder than she had seen him laugh in a long time. She thought she could see his eyes getting watery he was laughing so hard. She fought the smile that was trying to find its way onto her lips and finally let her own laughter escape. They stood there across the room from each other laughing together. As his laughter died down, he made his way across the room to her, arms open even before he got there. He wrapped them around her shoulders and pulled her into a bear hug. She buried her still red face in his chest and slapped his arm playfully.

"Laugh it up, Mister, because now you'll be buying tickets to future shows just like all my other fans," she teased.

"That's fine. Because, seeing that again would be priceless," he snorted.

She leaned her head back to force a furious, narrow eyed glare at him before begrudgingly letting a smirk creep through.

"Yeah, yeah. Let's change the subject, shall we? How was your day dear?" she asked before pushing him away to go into the bathroom to stop the water.

"It was OK," he said, moving to sit on the end of the bed. "unclogged a toilet that had tried to flush a toddler's flip flop," he called to her.

"A flip flop?" she exclaimed over her shoulder.

"Uh huh," he muttered. Did he tell her about the awkward moment with 3C? No more secrets, no more lies. "Um, Rach? I kind of need to tell you about something." She immediately entered his line of vision with a piercing look. She knew that tone. In lieu of speaking, she simply raised an eyebrow and folded her arms across her nearly naked chest bracing herself for whatever it was that he had done that she was not going to like.

He hesitated, taking in her defensive stance. Great, she is in a totally flexible mood, he thought. "OK, before I tell you this, please know that it ends in a way that you will be happy with. It's nothing, really, but we said we would never keep secrets and if it was the other way around, I would totally want you to tell me. I mean, I would probably have to kick some dude's ass, but-"

"Finn," she stated bluntly without needing accompanying words to get her point across.

"Yeah, so , anyway, the girl, uh, woman in 3C, is like a single mom, but she's really young and-"

"And blonde and thin and tall with big boobs," she finished coldly, "go on."

"Well, she has kind of placed work orders for me like six times in 14 days, and I didn't have a choice but to go. And she is always staring at me and stuff and it really freaks me out, but today, when I was about to leave, she tried to hug me. And, it wasn't like a normal hug, not that any handy man should receive a hug for fixing a toilet, but, anyway, she did, and , well, yeah. I just thought you should know." He sat looking at the floor, not wanting to venture any eye contact with her. When her feet appeared under his eyes, he brought them up to look at her face. She was... smiling? Not at all what he expected.

"Finn," she said, stepping in between his legs and placing both hands on the back of his neck, as he wrapped both arms around her waist, pulling her closer. "Thank you. For telling me. And, while I certainly don't like the fact that the harlot in 3C was trying to put her hands on my man, I love that you are this upset about it."

"I don't want any woman touching me except you. Except, like, my mom, but I don't want her to touch me like you touch me." He scrunched up his face finally hearing what he had just said and realizing the wrongness of it. "I'm so glad you get me," he said with exaggerated relief.

She giggled at his precious oblivion. "Thank you, Finn. I appreciate that. And, just so you know," her hands ran under the back of his t-shirt onto the heated skin of his back. "no other man is allowed to touch me like you touch me, either. No man ever has, and no man ever will." Her voice had fallen into a whisper as her face drew nearer to his.

"Good," he whispered back just before her soft lips met his. Finn inhaled sharply, the feel of her running all through him. She worked his mouth over with skilled precision, lips moving in just the right way, tongue brushing over all the right places. Before they broke for breath, she was sitting sideways in his lap, his hand buried deep in the dark chocolate hair just behind her ear.

"Finn?" she somehow made coherent through her heavier than normal breathing.

"Yeah?" he answered, moving to go in for more.

"I think," she accepted a kiss. "We should," and another. "Go for a swim," and another.

"That actually sounds kind of perfect," he said, finally backing away a little. "I was thinking this morning, that with all the heavy stuff going on with my Dad and stuff, I wanted to just have some time with you to have fun and not worry about anything. You have been my rock and you shouldn't have to be just that. I want to hang out with my best friend, you know?" He shrugged and smiled over at her.

"Really?" she chirped brightly, running her hand over his cheek.

"Sure," he replied. "It's, like, my favorite thing to do." He kissed her cheek and slid her off of his leg. "Go change into your suit and I'll change and grab the towels. Meet you there?" he asked, standing and pulling her to him.

"Can't wait," she beamed, tiptoeing to kiss him one more time. He grinned down at her before watching her flit into the closet.

When Finn got to the pool area, he immediately froze. There was 3C, boobs on display, reading a magazine. He tried to turn around to leave, but he was too late.

"Well, fancy meetin' you here, hot stuff," she flirted.

Crap. He glanced behind him nervously to see if Rachel was coming yet. When he turned his head she was standing well within his personal space and he took a step back. She took a step forward. What was with this chick?

"Wanna go for a dip with me?" she asked, pursing her lips and giving him a look from head to toe and back.

"No, thanks," he croaked, desperately looking for away out of this.

"Please?" she plastered on a pout. "I was thinking we could get to know each other better when you aren't checking my wiring or my plumbing. I don't usually like getting wet, but for you, I wouldn't mind so much." She said pretty suggestively, and he cleared his throat loudly, blushing wildly.

"Look, I have a fiance and fixing stuff for you is my job. I would appreciate it if you could try and respect that." He was firm with her, because this was totally wrong.

"Oh. Come. On." she said condescendingly with amusement in her tone. "You can't be more than what? 18? A fiance?" she snickered. "Seriously. I have a kid and I'm not tied down. And besides," she purred as she moved forward a little more, backing him into the fence, "she's not here. If I had someone as incredibly hot as you, I'd never let you out of my sight." She was walking her fingers up his chest as she worked her face up to make eye contact. He pushed her away, trying not to be to forceful, she was a girl after all.

"You wanna know why she doesn't have a problem 'letting me out of her sight'?" he asked in frustration, moving out of her trap. "It's because she knows that without a doubt, there is no other woman in the world that I will ever want, other than her. Not even close. She is the most incredible person breathing air, and I can guarantee you that there is no one as talented, loyal, loving, passionate, intelligent, inspiring, beautiful, and perfect for me as Rachel. So, from here on out, if you need me to fix anything for you, she comes, too. Are we clear?" His arms crossed in an effort to put even more in between them.

She rolled her eyes, what other response could she have after his little rant. "Whatever. Your loss," she spit and walked passed him out the gate, dragging her pride behind her.

He shook his head, disgusted, and turned to watch her go. He was immediately met with a pair of glistening brown eyes and a warm, bright smile.

"You heard?" he asked sheepishly, dropping his head and looking at her with just his eyes.

She nodded.

"You OK?" he asked with a concerned expression.

"Babe, I'm better than OK. Hearing you stand up for us like that? Sexiest. Thing. Ever."

"Oh yeah?" he said flirtatiously, swaggering toward her.

"Oh yeah," she purred, bringing her arms around his neck. His lips almost met hers when 3C came sweeping back around the corner, in clothing at least. Finn and Rachel turned their heads to look at her, silently but effectively questioning her return.

"Forgot my towel," she sniped, jerking her head to the side and rolling her eyes again. She continued her path to her chair, not knowing that a tiny little brunette was hot on her heels. She turned, towel in hand, taken aback by Rachel's presence. She took a couple of steps back as Rachel followed her step for step.

"Wanna know something else you forgot?" Rachel challenged. "You forgot that messing with a taken man has consequences," and with that, she pushed the taller woman over the edge of the pool, making quite a splash.

Finn's eyes bugged out and his mouth fell open. She was full of surprises, that's for sure. They both watched as 3C sputtered as she came out of the water. If looks could kill, Rachel would be dead. But, Rachel didn't even flinch as the drowned rat made her way up out of the pool and stalked over toward her. "You. Little. Bitch." she growled. It was when Finn walked up behind her target, wrapping his arms around her, just daring the blonde to make a move. Rachel's smirk said all that needed to be said and blondie walked away huffing and defeated.

"I can't believe you did that," Finn mused from behind her, still watching her victim stalk across the lot.

"Let it be a lesson," Rachel said, turning to face him and running her hands up his chest seductively, "Rachel Berry is a force to be reckoned with." And for the second time that day, someone else landed in the pool by surprise. When he surfaced he had a look that could only be classified as predatory.

"You are so dead," he threatened, pushing up on the side of the pool chasing an already running streak of dark hair. Using his long limbs to his advantage, he caught up to her quickly and was able to grab her around the waist, pulling her back into the pool with him.

They both came up laughing and splashing. He swam the small distance between them and brought her tight against his body. She wrapped her legs around his waist as they both caught their breath. He reached up to push a wet strand of hair away from her eyes and as he looked in to her eyes, the air around them went from playful to primal.

"Watching you throw her into the pool was like the hottest thing ever," he huskily confessed.

"You think so?" she asked, feigning innocence.

He nodded his head exaggeratedly and she giggled as she brought her lips down to his. As hey kissed he walked her to the side of the pool and pinned her against the hard surface. The sounds of water lapping around their bodies added to the sensuality of the moment. Every break for breath was taken open mouth against open mouth as hands roamed and grasped and kneaded. His open mouth slid from her lips to her neck where his hot breath covered her skin through his words. "I love you so damn much, Rachel. You are the only girl who can get me going like this. Just touching your skin turns me on." He continued his exploration with his mouth as she moved her head around to let him taste wherever he wanted.

"Good to know," was her answer as his lips once again landed on hers. Making out in a very public place was not her, but at the moment, she was so lost in him that she couldn't think to care. Their make out session had reached a boiling point and he was the one to slow them down because he knew how embarrassed she would be if they got caught.

"We better slow this down, Rach, or we are really going to have to make a scene," he said softly as his kisses slowed but continued.

"OK," she breathed, releasing her legs and kissing him once more, swimming away reluctantly to let him recover on his own. He joined her shortly after she left him and they played and swam a talked for a couple of hours or so. They did tricks, jumping from the sides in different poses, and flipping under water. They played Marco Polo and he won every time. Tired and hungry, they decided it was time to go out to dinner.

To save time, they showered together, although, what that caused took as long as just taking them separately. When she came to meet him in the living room, he was so taken with how gorgeous she was. A navy blue V neck dress that hugged her quite nicely and those silver heels was all it took to strike him speechless. She took notice of his admiration and did a little spin for him, gaining herself a dimpled smile.

"Stunning," he said, "I'd say you give me butterflies but it's like I have a whole zoo in there," he said, drawing giggle from her pink lips.

"You look pretty hot yourself, Hudson," she said as she gathered her purse. "Ready to go?" She walked past him and out the door he opened for her. When she caught his scent, she thought briefly about dragging him right back inside. Like the gentleman he was, he opened her car door and let her inside. Easing into the driver's seat, he started the conversation about where to eat. They hadn't been in town long and she had to use an app to search for restaurants.

They decided on Chinese and found a little place across town. She laughed hysterically trying to teach him how to use chopsticks and the waiter got in on the joke by bringing him a set they give kids with the rubber bands around them and the paper in between. They talked about the things they used to talk about before their failed wedding day. No uncertain future, no sketchy military past. Just love and laughter. Rachel excused herself to the restroom as Finn paid the bill and when she met him at the door he offered her his arm in a grander than necessary motion, causing her to laugh again. They drove around with the windows down and the music playing. They sang. Sometimes seriously, sometimes ridiculously. Eventually, they arrived back home with a stack of movies and a bag full of snacks. Rachel went straight to her pajamas and Finn changed as well. He started the popcorn and waited on the floor by the couch with blankets and pillows. He had set up a bed for them so they could fall asleep watching movies if they had to. She came in a snuggled in next to him, ready to watch the first one. A little ways into it, she tilted her head up to look at him from her spot on his chest. "Thank you. For today, I mean. It was a great day. I didn't realize how much I missed you."

He bent his head slightly to place a kiss on her forehead. "I know. Me,too. I enjoyed just spending time with you. Love you."

"Love you, too." They shared a sweet kiss and she returned her head to his chest.

She returned her attention to the movie. He fell asleep first and she finished the movie listening to him breathe. It was such a peaceful sound to her. Comforting. It lulled her to sleep. They lay there together, holding one another and sleeping soundly.

Daylight woke her up and she was surprised to find Finn awake already and on the couch holding her laptop. His face was stiff and his jaw was clenched. Her heart lurched as the reason came crashing into her brain. His eyes met hers and she knew he knew.

"Finn, I-"

"Why didn't you tell me about this Rachel?" he asked, not in anger, but with hurt.

She made her way onto the couch next to him. She sat slowly and spoke quietly. "You were going through so much and I didn't want to add to your stress. And I wasn't sure what I really wanted to do and I was afraid you would tell me we were going to a movie and take me to the airport instead or something," she caught the "touche" glance he gave her. "Sorry." She received a nod.

"So, what are you going to do?" he asked, turning his head to ask her curiously.

She took his hand. "I don't know. I mean, it is such an honor to be chosen and it would be really helpful to get me started at NYADA, but we still have a lot to do here. And I really love playing house with you." She shrugged, staring at their joined hands.

"Me,too, Rach. But-"

"But-" she repeated, not looking up.

"Yes, but," he nudged her side, "we knew this was temporary. We have planned for you to go on whether I am done here or not. So, it may just be a month earlier than expected. We still have a month left. Rachel, you have to do this. You just have to. You will regret it if you don't."

She wiped her tears. He was right. She knew he was right. She nodded sadly and he put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her over to kiss her forehead. "It will be OK no matter what, Rachel. We are forever, got it?"

"Got it," she sniffed and looked into his eyes with renewed vigor.

"And, if in the future you get life changing news, how about letting your soul mate in on it?"

She chuckled through her tears, "Deal," she said definitively. A thought occurred to her and she turned to him with her brows furrowed and her eyebrow raised. "What are you doing with my computer anyway?"

He sighed and bit his cheek. "I wasn't snooping or anything. The piece of research I needed was saved in your computer. When I turned it on, your email immediately popped up and when I saw NYADA I didn't look at the date and I clicked it in case it was important and I needed to wake you up. I am so sorry," he looked like a little kid who had been caught going through his Mom's purse.

"It's OK, Finn. I trust you. I know you would never purposely invade my privacy. I'm kind of glad you saw it, actually. I have been driving myself crazy trying to find a way to bring it up."

They sat next to one another silently just holding hands and thinking. The reality of their imminent separation settled upon them. Though, there would be no breaking up, they weren't looking forward to not coming home to each other at the end of the day.

"You know what?" she started, breaking the silence. "This is still so much better than your original plan."

"Totally," he returned as he quickly turned and began tickling her on the couch.

He got a call from Margot a few hours later, telling him that the air conditioner in 5B had gone out. he left to check on it and Rachel sent her acceptance email to NYADA. As she sat on the couch, she heard a thump at the front door. She left her laptop on the couch next to her and went to see what it was. She opened the door and glanced around and didn't wee anyone. It was weird because she could have sworn she heard something. She was about to close the door when she noticed a box at her feet. She glanced around again, and, seeing no one, she picked it up and closed the door. When she got it to the couch, she saw that it was addressed to Finn with no return address. In fact, it didn't have an address on it at all. It just said FINN HUDSON written in all caps. How strange. Maybe it was something from Margot. Deciding she would know what was in it eventually, she opened it. Inside were papers. Folders. Envelopes. They were all official documents and letters and photographs. This was the kind of stuff ordinary people were not supposed to see. Who could have gotten this? And, how did they know where to find Finn? An uneasy feeling settled in her stomach as she pulled out the first file. Inside, she saw discharge papers and there were a few photographs. She was staring at one in particular when Finn walked through the door. His smile fell when he read her expression and took in the box next to her.

"What's up?" he asked reluctantly, closing the door behind him and kicking off his sneakers.

"Um," she choked out, "this box came for you and it had no address, just your name, and well, curiosity and concern got the best of me so I opened it." She was almost breathless. "These are classified files on your Dad, Finn. I don't know who dropped them off, but, oh my God, there is just so much in here."

Finn sat slowly on the coffee table in front of her, reaching his hand into the box and pulling a handful of papers into his lap. "Duty logs, mission reports... Rachel, what the hell?"

"I don't know, Finn. I just don't know." She captured his eyes and held them there, both of them too stunned to speak. He licked his lips and glanced down at the box full of his father.

"Well," he said, "We better get started. This stuff isn't going to read itself."

**I hope you liked a few light moments for our favorite couple. I know I am revealing the mystery slowly, but try not to get too frustrated. The pacing is necessary. **

**Believe me when I say that seeing your sweet comments make my day and I hope you are still enjoying this. If so, let me know. I use them to decide how much longer to carry this story. I don't want to wrap it up to quickly. I really want to do it justice. But, if you like it, let me know! **


	11. Chapter 11

**I am glad you guys had fun with the last chapter. I did, too. I hope you like this one as well. Thank you for your words of encouragement! I don't know any of you, but it's amazing how**

**much kinship I feel with so many of you. We may never meet, but you will always be my imaginary friends! :) And when I started writing this, I was mainly doing it for me, but it wasn't long before it was all about you guys. I'm writing this for you... so thank you for your support! I hope you enjoy this next installment!**

"Hudson should be commended for his bravery," "Christopher Hudson rescued his troop from certain death," Under Hudson's leadership, his troop accomplished peace in the area. Gaahhhd!"

Finn threw the files he was holding down on the table in front of him and collapsed back onto the couch, hands over his face. Rachel looked up from the file she was holding to watch him with sympathy. They had been at this for several hours and though he was discovering events from his father's life that he had never known about before, nothing had shown up about the circumstances leading up to his dishonorable discharge. They still had a mountain of files left, though, and she was certain something had to be in there. Why else would whoever it was drop this off on their doorstep? She quietly placed her files on the table as well. She rose up on her knees and moved next to him, pulling his hands away from his face to reveal a face of weariness and overload.

"Finn, why don't we stop for tonight? OK? We can- we can order a pizza and just refresh our brains for a little while."

"I just don't get it, Rach," he said, her words obviously lost on him for the time being. His head didn't move from its position on the back of the couch and his eyes remained closed tight. "Everything we have read speaks to a man of amazing character, but there sits a dishonorable discharge ruling. I don't understand how one lapse in judgement can overshadow so many good things, you know?" He lifted his head and took her hand in his, playing with her fingers as he spoke.

She tilted her head and drew in the corner of her mouth trying to think of the right words to say to make him feel better.

"I wish I had the words to make all the pieces fit for you, Finn, but I don't. Your Dad was a hero in anyone's eyes." She received a weak grin from him before she quietly added, "just like you are to me and your friends and family." She didn't look him in the eyes to say it, because she knew he had a hard time believing her when she said things like that. She felt his arm come up and around her shoulders pulling her to him, her head resting just under his chin.

"Thanks," he whispered.

"It's the truth," she whispered back.

"Did you say something about pizza?" he asked after a few minutes of silence.

"Uh-huh."

"Sounds kind of perfect."

"I'll call it in," she smiled and reached for her phone.

Thirty minutes later they sat in front of the TV eating their dinner and watching the Yankees play. Well, he was watching the Yankees play. She had disappeared into the bedroom. He was so into the game and his food that he didn't notice how long she had been gone until his phone rang and her name was on the screen.

"Yes?" he answered humorously.

"Something is wrong with the toilet," was all she said.

"Ok. I'll be right there," he heaved an exasperated sigh and launched himself from his comfy seat.

When he rounded the doorway into the bathroom, he found it lit with only candlelight and filled with soft music. And, in the oversized tub was Rachel, covered with a thick layer of bubbles, hair piled messily on top of her head, legs propped up on the side. She giggled at his mouth hanging open and his wide eyed expression. It didn't take him long to recover though, starting to unbutton his shirt and walk towards her slowly.

"There's nothing wrong with the toilet," he stated, darting his tongue out to wet his lips.

She shook her head slowly. "No, but I wanted to surprise you. How am doing?"

"Level: Expert," he grinned.

"Good. See, this is how I relax. And, I just thought it might help you, too." He nodded in enthusiastic agreement as he stood before her; removing one article of clothing at a time until he had none left to remove. His eyes never left hers and he bit back a grin when he saw her swallow hard, fixing her gaze below his belly button. He came around behind her and threw one long leg over the side as she scooted forward to give him more room. He settled in behind her, sloshing water over the side, and she sucked her bottom lip through her teeth when she felt his appreciation for her surprise press against the small of her back. He wrapped both arms around her waist and pulled her as close against him as he could. Her skin on his sent goosebumps over his body. She laid her head back to rest on his shoulder and he tilted his to the side to lay in against hers.

"Genius idea," he murmured against her hair.

"I know."

They sat there together for a long while, just giving soothing touches and enjoying the sensations that came with being this intimately close to someone. He brought a sponge up to glide it down her body and she brought one arm around the back of his neck, massaging the skin she found there.

"Finn?"

"Hmmm?"

"Just for the record, I believe you are going to do something huge for your Dad. I can feel it. There is something big going on here, and I can't quite put my finger on what it is, but, it's there."

"Really? Because, I gotta be honest, I am starting to think I'm going nowhere. I was so stupid to think I could just come down here, ask a few questions, and change the minds of the United States Military."

She turned slightly in his arms. "You are not stupid, Finn. I hate it when you say things like that about yourself. Listen to me, you are the farthest thing from stupid. Maybe, you were a little naïve. It's easy to get that way about your dreams. I learned that the hard way. Just because you dream it doesn't mean that it is magically going to fall in your lap. It takes work. Look at me. I thought that all I had to do for that audition was sing something I was singing in my ultrasound photos and I was golden." They both laughed out loud at her description. "But, then I had to go through hell and back to succeed. And, my work is far from over. It's not enough to just want something really badly, you have to work your butt off to see it through. That's what we are doing here, isn't it? And that is what you will continue to do until you make someone see things your way."

By now, she had turned herself where she could look directly into his eyes. How was she so amazing? And how did he, a washed up quarterback who had been content with mediocrity most of his high school days, end up with this... this... goddess? It was beyond him. She was so damn sexy when she got all passionate and fired up about something. He reached both hands up from the water and wrapped them around the back of her exposed neck. He lifted his back from the surface of the tub, leaning in to meet her where she sat on her knees in front of him. He used a gentle tug to bring her to his mouth and when he got her there, he showed her all of his appreciation, desire, and admiration. She couldn't remember a time he had kissed her more intensely, and there had been some humdingers. He was slow. And deliberate. And she let her body fall into his, enjoying every second of it. He took her bottom lip in his, laving over it with his tongue and gently sucking it with lips. He released her lips slowly each time, letting barely a second pass before he was taking them over again. Intermittently, he would let his eyes creep open to look at her face, lost in his kisses, and it was the hottest thing ever. Throughout the room, the sounds of water lapping, lips parting, low moans, and heavy breathing mixed together in a sensual melody. There were moments during the kissing that they were so overcome with desire all they could do was press their open mouths together and fight the urge to completely devour the other. She moved her face to taste his neck as his hands gripped her waist, clenching and unclenching as she drove him to new heights of pleasure. Unable to take the torture any longer, he snapped his head under hers and recaptured her lips as she changed her position, placing one leg on either side of his hips. It didn't take much more convincing and with minimal effort, the two became one and when they were satisfied, there was a lot less water in that tub.

When they were once again able to stand and sufficiently dry, they walked together to climb into their bed. He fell first and she followed after, laying half on top of him. He drifted off to sleep quickly and she lay there with her ear to his heart, listening to the rhythm that completed her. Rachel often pondered the change he had brought about in her, sexually speaking. She had once said that girls wanted sex as much as guys did, and she was telling the truth. There had never been a time since she had known him that she didn't want him this way. She had kept him waiting because she didn't want their hearts broken. When she realized that sex between them was an inevitability, she couldn't have dreamed up a better first time. He was so sweet, and gentle, and considerate. He worried over her and made her as comfortable as possible. When he hurt her, as was totally unavoidable, she watched his face echo the pain on hers. He stroked her face and and tried to shush away the pain, reminding her he was right there. What teenage boy did that? And after she had experienced him that way, it became a craving. She had always been so prim about her sexuality, mostly because she didn't feel like a sexual creature. She had never had a boy look at her at all, much less look at her the way Finn did. Finn freaking Hudson. Quarterback. Most popular guy in school. And he looked at her like she was the most enticing thing he had ever laid eyes on. And, then, she started to realize that she had a talent she hadn't yet discovered. She compared his moans and grunts and gasps to applause. She studied how to get them and made it her goal to get them every time and add new ones to her collection. There was something so empowering in knowing that little bitty her could reduce big old him to such a state. She had always been a good girl. She was no slut by any means. But he made her feel sexy. She also knew how safe she was with him. And, let's face it, if he hadn't sent her packing to New York, he would be her husband right now and sex would be a frequent part of life. She liked that he never pouted about not having it. He never manipulated her into doing it. He just showed her that he found her the most irresistible woman he could imagine, and that made her want to be with him. She fell asleep replaying his kisses in her mind and drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

She was the first one awake the next morning, no big surprise there, and she quietly got out of bed and headed straight for the coffee pot. After filling her cup, she returned to her post on the couch to pick up where they left off with the files. Some of the papers were useless and they had begun making piles of things that might be of use and things that wouldn't help at all. She took the first folder from the top of the pile of things they hadn't looked at yet and started reading. This one was a file documenting Christopher's medical records. Finally, something worth looking at. There were all the documented visits to the infirmary. He had been seen for an infected wound, a dislocated shoulder, the flu, an unexplained fever. There was nothing about his mental health. Rachel read each document carefully and blushed when she read about a rash that was treated that was, well, it was somewhere that a girl didn't like to think of her would be father in law having. Though, she guessed she was thankful for said part because it gave her Finn, but still. Moving on from that uncomfortable mess, she noticed the date on the last one. It was dated March 27, 1992. That was almost a month after the war ended, but still within the weeks some of the troops had to stay to help the people of kuwait adjust after the war. It said he was seen for exhaustion and dehydration. How strange that he would need to be seen for such things when he wasn't in the desert, per say. He would have been closer to town. Rachel pulled that one out and set it aside, as it was the last medical record given for the time Christopher spent in Kuwait. Six days later he was back at Fort Benning according to the timeline she had made Finn start yesterday. She quickly jotted the date and diagnosis on a post it and went to the wall to place it on their make shift timeline. So far their notes consisted of :

February 28, 1991 End of Gulf War

March 27, 1992 Last medical entry- exhaustion, dehydration

April 3, 1992 Christopher returns to Fort Benning for a time of debriefing and evaluation

October 3, 1992 Returns home to Lima

November 1, 1992 Conception on pool table (Ew!)

July 25, 1993 Finn is born (Yay!)

October 20, 1993 Christopher died

She placed it in order, then returned to her work. She glanced at the clock and saw that it was nearing 9:30 am and she hadn't heard a peep from Finn. She decided to let him sleep since he had taken care of the yard work yesterday and hadn't received a phone call. Since 3C had found herself drenched and pissed, she probably wouldn't be calling much anymore.

Rachel continued through her stack. Then she saw it. It was the mental treatment records. She almost felt intrusive, like she was violating some code of trust. Maybe Finn should be the one to read these, she thought, and laid them next to her on the couch. The next thing she grabbed was a manila envelope. Inside were photographs of Finn's Dad in a variety of situations; some were mission oriented, some just fun shots of him and his buddies. She couldn't wait for Finn to see these. This was something he needed to see. A side of his Dad that Carole didn't have in her albums. Right on cue, he came into the room, hair in disarray, pajama pants slung low on his hips, and yawning with sleepy eyes.

"Hey, you," he greeted her as he stretched his arms over his head, leaving Rachel to watch his bare chest take on a new shape. It was delicious.

"Hey right back. How'd you sleep?" she asked as she moved some of the papers for him to sit next to her.

"Like a guy whose fiance knows just how to turn his body to mush and put his mind at peace," he smirked, moving in for a soft sweet kiss.

"Well, you must be a lucky guy," she joked.

"You have no idea." He took a moment to smile at her before asking, "So, whatcha up to in here so early?" He threw his arm over the back of the couch.

"Finn, it's 10:30. It's hardly early. I let you sleep because I knew you needed it, but I was wide awake so I thought I wouldn't waste any of our time. I haven't found much. I did find his last medical visit before returning home and I put it on our time line. I just found these pictures,too, and I was about to come wake you up to look at them when you showed up."

"Awesome. Let me go get some coffee and I'll come take a look." He almost made it to the kitchen before turning to her. "Hey, thanks for doing all of this. It's not your fight, and you don't have to, you know? I appreciate it, but your company is enough."

"He would have been my family. He is the grandfather of my children. I'm in this."

"Yeah. You're right." He tried to talk over the lump that had formed in his throat at hearing her words.

He returned, coffee in hand, and she split the stack between them, giving him his half.

"Oh my God, look Rach. It's my Dad doing a keg stand with his buddies. What the hell?" he said with both amusement and shock.

"That's lovely, Finn." she said drily. "Puck would have gotten along with him well." They both chuckled at just how true that was.

Rachel held up another, "here's one of him unloading medical supplies." She offered it to him without looking at him and when he didn't take it, she looked up to see why. It was then that she saw he was looking at a photo from his stack, emotion playing on his face. When she saw his eyes water, she moved over to him so see what he was looking at. "Oh. Finn," she said softly, placing her hand over his. There was Christopher Hudson, sitting on a stool in what looked like the mess hall, eyes closed with passion, mouth open wide, microphone placed in front. There was another guy, Duke? standing next to him with a guitar and someone they didn't know on an old Casio keyboard.

"He sang, Rachel," he said with wonder coloring his voice. "Look at him. Look how happy he looks." Finn ran his long index finger over his Dad's face. "My Mom never told me he sang."

"Maybe she didn't know. Maybe he found out he could while he was gone." she offered.

"I guess-" his words drifted as he once again lost himself in this new revelation.

They both sat staring at this moment in his Dad's life. It was true, Christopher looked like he was having the time of his life, although there was a war being waged all around him. Finn finally recovered from his shock and got up to put the photo on the fridge for safe keeping.

When he returned, they continued. They were almost through them all, when he noticed a change in Rachel's demeanor. She began shuffling through papers, looking back and forth from the piture she was holding to the files around her. She was starting to get frantic.

"Whoa- Rachel- what's wrong?"

She was standing at this point, shaking her head and whispering under her breath. "No. That's not possible."

Finn crossed the room to join her, suddenly filled with dread over whatever she was seeing. When he got to her, she looked up at him with shocked disbelief radiating from her dark brown eyes.

"Finn, when did your Dad die, again?"

"October 20, 1993. Why?"

She handed him the photo in her hand. "Because the date stamp on this picture of your dad shows June 3, 1995."

**Yes... you can believe what you just read! One of you guessed it awhile back but I have been busting to reveal it. It is fiction after all... anything can happen right? What on earth does this mean for our favorite characters? Until next time... Oh and if you like it or just have feelings... let me know! **


	12. Chapter 12

**Surprised? That was so much fun to do and I was busting to reveal it! I actually had the thought earlier in the season and I am so glad to get to explore it. I hope you enjoy what happens next!**

"Finn? Finn? Baby, I need you to talk. I'm scared."

She sat at his feet watching him stare blankly at the photo she had handed him over an hour ago. That is also how long it had been since he spoke. He was breathing normally again, which was a good thing, but he was really starting to worry her. She hadn't yet recovered from her own shock at this life changing revelation and she couldn't imagine what was going on inside of Finn. His head was teetering on his neck slightly as if he had lost some control over it, mouth open, eyes blinking slowly. When he heard her voice, he raised his eyes up slowly to meet hers. He saw the near panic in them and felt her little hands squeezing his larger ones. She licked her lips and chose her words carefully.

"Finn, I know this is more than you could have ever been prepared for. I know you are in shock right now. But, I'm right here. OK?" She saw his adam's apple move when he swallowed hard and took in the slight tremor in his lips. He was going to throw up again. She stood quickly and pulled him to the bathroom and barely got him there in time. She rubbed his back as he heaved and cried at the same time. This was bad. Really bad. When he recovered enough to move, he turned suddenly and forcefully to grab her around the waist and bury his face in her neck. She couldn't stand the force or the surprise and she fell back against the wall, holding him in her arms. She began stroking his hair as she kissed his forehead. "Sssshhh. It's Ok, Finn. Sssssh."

"What do I do, Rachel? I don't know what to do," came his first words in what seemed like an eternity sounding choked and pained.

Rachel took a deep breath. She had to think and be wise and be right with what she said next.

"First, you have to get yourself together. I don't mean for that to sound harsh, but I told you once that I would always be honest with you, even painfully so. But, you aren't going to be any good to anyone until you help your body adjust to this. And after that, we go see Duke. I have a feeling if anyone knows anything about this, it's him."

A thought entered Finn's mind and he sat up with panic and his words spilled out rapidly. "My Mom, Rach, what about my mom? Oh my God, this is going to mess her up so bad. Do you think she knows? Surely she wouldn't have kept this from me, even though, she did keep the other story from me. Was that just a lie? I mean, should I call her? And Burt, what if-"

He was interrupted by two hands firmly gripping the sides of his face and a voice that meant business.

"Stop it, Finn. You don't know enough yet to do anything. I think you are getting way ahead of yourself and right now, you can't worry about this effecting anyone else. We have to deal with what is and we don't even know what that is. OK? Let's just deal with this one piece at a time." She could see him relax a little for the first time. He nodded and brought his hands up to cover hers.

"OK. You're right. OK." His eyes were closed and he was working hard to remain calm.

"OK," she repeated, "now, let's go see if there is anything else in there that we need to help us piece as much of this together as we can before we open any can of worms that Duke might have hidden." She stood, offering her hands to him to help him up and turned to walk him out of the small room they were stuffed into. She felt him stiffen his arm behind her and she turned to look at him questioningly.

"Thank you. Rachel. For, you know, like, not thinking I'm nuts and for knowing how to take care of me. And I'm sorry you had to watch me puke." He squinted one eye as he remembered how gross that actually was.

"You're welcome, Finn. In sickness and health, right?" She tugged the hand she was holding gently.

"Right," he spoke softly before following her into the hall.

They sat close together on the couch because even though he seemed to have brought himself back into sanity, she wanted him to feel her there and he needed the same. She picked up her phone and gave him a look to ask him if he was ready to keep going and he nodded at her unvoiced question. It would have to be her that made the call because he was still too shaky to talk.

"Hello? Duke? This is Rachel Berry, Finn Hudson's fiance. Yes, Sir. I am calling to see if Finn and I can meet with you tonight. Um, well, we kind of found- you know what? It would be much better if we met in person," she saw Finn pick up the photo again and reached over to take his hand as she spoke. "OK, that would be perfect. Thank you, see you then."

She turned her attention to Finn. "8:00." He nodded without removing his eyes from the mystery in his hands. "Wanna keep going through this stuff?" He shook his head. "No. I can't take anymore surprises. I think this is enough for now."

"Rachel? What if he's alive out there somewhere? I mean, did he just leave us because he didn't want us? I can't believe this is real. Is it possible?"

"Anything is possible. But, don't get ahead of yourself, OK? Let's just talk to Duke, see what he says, and then we will go from there."

Duke arrived at the coffee shop at 0800 hours precisely. Finn and Rachel stood when he approached their table and he shook their hands, taking in the seriousness of their expressions.

"You two look awfully serious to be so young," Duke offered, testing the waters a bit.

"Is he alive?" Finn blurted without the ability to hold it in. Rachel's head shot toward him, eyes wide, before quickly looking back at the older man for a response. Duke shifted in his seat, his face taken with surprise and also with the signs of thinking quickly on his feet.

"I'm sorry, Son? Is who alive?" he asked trying to play it cool.

"My Dad. Is my dad still alive?" Finn asked intensely and slapped the 1995 photo of Chris Hudson, who should have already been dead for two years at that point, down on the table in front of them. His eyes were resolutely fixed on the face of the soldier in front of him. His jaw clenched and fire flashed in his eyes. While at first he had been shocked into silence and stillness, he was now filled with a fierce and unwavering determination.

Duke stared down at the photo with narrowed eyes before turning his gaze on his friends' son. They darted to Rachel quickly and then back again. His mind was spinning. What was he supposed to say now? He knew from the moment he met Finn that this was going to happen eventually but it didn't mean he was any more prepared for it.

"Where did you get this?" Duke asked in a serious whisper, leaning in towards the two young people across the table.

"It was dropped off in a box full of files and stuff with my name on it. Just my name. I don't know who left it there, but you didn't answer my question. Is. My father. Alive?"

One last stare between the two men and Duke looked around the room, gauging the people inside. He turned his attention back to Finn. "We need to have this conversation in my office. Let's go." Finn and Rachel followed him out the door without ever ordering anything. They all got into Duke's Suburban and rode in absolute silence back onto the military base. Duke fumbled with his keys to the same beige building they had been to before and darkness greeted them once inside. When they got to Duke's office, he flipped on the light and immediately went to his mini fridge to crack open a beer. He looked over at Finn. "Want one? I know you aren't legal, but it might help relax you a little." Finn politely declined, receiving a small shrug from the man with all the answers. Duke pulled his chair around to sit close to Finn and Rachel. Rachel had her attention trained solely on Finn.

"OK. We're here now. I need you to answer my question."

"Well, kid. Pictures don't lie."

Finn drew in a deep, shuddering breath and Rachel stood, moving onto the arm of his chair and wrapping her arm around his shoulder. He looked up at her and they held each other's eyes for a long time, him gathering the courage he needed from her, and her giving him the support he needed to get through this.

"I don't get it. Why? I mean, where is he? What the hell am I supposed to do with this, Duke? I have grown up my whole life being told my Dad was in a jar that sat on the mantle. Does my Mom know?"

Duke's face was hard steel. He had to be so careful with what information he gave and how he handled what was sure to be the single most life changing moment of this kid's life. He had to do what his friend would want him to do.

"No, son. Your Mom doesn't know. No one does. Except me. And your Aunt Lisa and Uncle Rob."

"WHAT? Aunt Lisa knows? What the hell?" he was getting wild eyed and he pulled at his hair with both hands. The only thing keeping him grounded was the tiny brunette that had now draped herself around him protectively.

"Look, Finn. I am going to answer as many of your questions as I can, but probably not all of them. You need to know that everyone involved in this kept this from you and Carole to protect you."

"What. Happened?" Finn's patience was hanging by a thread and he was ready to cut it and start screaming.

"Chris did come home. He did have the drug problem brought on by the son of a bitch shrink that sold him out, but that wasn't what took him away. He got straight as soon as he got home. It served as a cover, though. A reason to leave often. A reason to be found "dead" and disappear. I need to first say that everything your Dad has done was done for you. And your Mom."

"Leaving her to raise a son by herself and me to grow up with no father? Awesome show of love." Finn was growing quite bitter.

"Let him finish," Rachel interjected quietly.

"Remember how I told you about the kids that died in the bombing?" Finn nodded. "Well, I told you they were the children of some very important officials in the middle east. People who are well connected and are fueled by rage and revenge. After your Dad got home and got clean, we received intel that he had become a major terrorist target because they had discovered who set the explosives and blamed him, wanting him to pay. Only, they weren't going to go after Chris. They wanted to kill you, Finn, his only son. An eye for an eye. They had your address and were tracking your Mom. We had confirmation that they had people in the states. In Ohio. Chris was pulled back here for awhile to work on the case, which is why your Mom said he would disappear for days at a time. He came back and forth because he couldn't bear to let you out of his sight. He feared for your little life. And your Mom's. Finally, he realized that the only way he could keep you safe was to disappear. If he wasn't alive, then there would be no one to hurt by hurting you. So, one time he came here and never went back. He is in the military's version of witness protection."

Finn sunk down in his seat. His hands were gripping his jeans at his knees. Brow furrowed, eyes darting back and forth desperately trying to process the significance of the words still racing around his brain. It was true. His Dad was alive. He was not just a two dimensional faded picture on the wall or an old leather recliner. And he had sacrificed being with his family to save their lives. Were they still in danger? His mind all of a sudden went to a worrying place. His Mom was so far away and what if someone was still watching her? Or him? What if they were watching him? Oh, God, Rachel. If he was in danger, then so was Rachel. He instinctively wrapped his arm around her waist as she sat on the arm of his chair. He licked his lips finally finding his words.

"OK, so are they still going to come after us? Should I call my Mom? And what about my step dad and my brother? Am I safe? Is Rachel safe?"

His questions came in rapid succession. "Son, slow down. You are all safe, because your Dad made sure of that."

"This all happened like, 18 years ago. Are these people still around? I mean, will he come back some day if they're gone?

"Finn, it doesn't work like that. These people don't operate independently. They have networks upon networks. Their hate is passed down from generation to generation. Now, believing Chris is dead eliminates the need for any sort of retaliation. The only benefit of hurting you or Carole is destroying your Dad. Thinking he is gone, makes you safe. I know this is too much to take in, Kid, and I am so sorry. You were never supposed to know. We never counted on your tenacity."

He glanced up at Rachel. "It means determined not to give up," she offered with a small smile. He gave her an appreciative smirk in return.

"So, how do Aunt Lisa and Uncle Rob know?"

"Rob was stationed here when it all went down. Your Dad couldn't do it without knowing how you were and how your Mom was and he needed people who could keep tabs on you guys and report back to him without it seeming conspicuous. So, we brought in your Aunt Lisa and she has been filling your Dad in on how you were doing your whole life. You know those weekly phone calls with your Mom?"

Finn bent forward, placing his head in his hands. Rachel rubbed his back gently as she and Duke traded concerned glances. She heard him blow a breath out before springing out of his seat. He paced around the room.

"Does he know I'm here?" he said when he finally came to a stop.

"Yes."

Finn nodded, taking it in small doses now.

"Is he close?"

"Yes."

Another hard swallow.

"Has he seen me? I mean, like, in person?"

"Yes. Watched you play once and saw you graduate. And, saw you kiss this one on stage in New York City."

A sob on the end of a humorless chuckle. The sob turned into more and he finally broke. Rachel had her arms around him in a flash and he clutched her to him with one arm while holding himself up against a shelf with the other.

"It's too much, Rachel. I can't- I just- I-" he stammered.

"I know," was her only response. Once she got him calmed down, she turned back to Duke.

"I think we are going to have to go. We need to go somewhere and sort all of this out. Thank you. For your honesty."

"Look, I need both of you to understand the seriousness of this. Your discretion is a matter of life or death. The only thing keeping Finn, Carole, and Chris as well as those around them safe is if this remains top secret."

Finn and Rachel shared a meaningful look and both nodded their agreement.

"Finn, son, I can't imagine how you are feeling right now, but, I can say that everything your father has done has been in your best interest."

"I know, Sir. Doesn't make it any easier to take."

"No, it doesn't. Come see me tomorrow? This is the only place secure enough to speak about this."

"K," Finn answered. "Will you take us back to our car, please?"

The ride back to the coffee shop was perhaps more silent than the ride to the base. Finn and Rachel said their goodbyes before getting into their own vehicle. Finn stared straight out the windshield unmoving. "I'm not ready to go home yet, Rach. Is that alright with you?" he said, turning to look at her.

"Whatever you need, Finn. I'm in for whatever you need."

He backed out of the lot and they drove in no specific direction. The windows were down and the warm Georgia air was swirling around them. It was nearing midnight and they found themselves near a lake. Finn, pulled into a spot near a campsite.

"Get out with me?"

"Yeah," she nodded sympathetically.

Finn pulled a blanket from the trunk and laid it out on the hood of the car. He climbed on top and held his hand out, helping Rachel up to lay beside him. They lay side by side with their backs on the windshield, looking up at the stars. He reached over and held her hand, pulling it up to hold it to his chest. The water rolled against the bank and crickets sang into the dark night surrounding them. Neither or them spoke for a long time. Finally, Rachel's inquisitive nature took her over.

"What are you thinking?" she asked softly.

"I don't even know."

She let out a huff. "You must be thinking something. It's me. Remember? You can tell me anything." She nudged him with her elbow and he turned his head toward hers as she did the same toward him. He reached across himself to caress her cheek with his thumb.

"He's out there, Rach-" the words came out in a whisper. "He has breathed the same air as me and I didn't even know it. All that time I wanted a Dad. He loved us, you know? Me and my Mom? He loved us. And he saved us. He literally saved our lives. It terrifies me to think that there are still evil people in the world who would kill me. And, my Mom, how do I not tell her about this? It's not like when I kept that weekend you stayed when she and Burt were gone away from her. It's her husband. The one she talked to as an urn for sixteen years. She has grieved for him. I have grieved for him. I used him as a reason that I couldn't be with you. It's not fair, Rachel. It sucks." He wiped the tears that were rolling into his ears.

She raised herself up on her elbow and used her free hand to help him dry his face. "It does suck, Finn. It really, really sucks. But, it's not like he was some druggie who abandoned you guys like you thought he was before we came here. And, it's not like he can contact you at all. This situation is dangerous and he sacrificed everything to give you a life. Don't you see? How much of him is in you? What kind of man you are? You are the same self sacrificing, love with all your heart man that he is. Not was... is. Your father loved you so much that he was willing to let you go to give you a life. And, just a few weeks ago, you proved that you have that same capacity for love. Don't you see? You don't have to worry about becoming the man he was anymore. You are already the man he is."

"God, I love you," he breathed before pulling her to him to kiss her. He would do anything to taste her like this. Give anything. She returned his kisses with passion. She threw her leg around his waist and he pulled her hips up to rest on top of his as he continued to explore her mouth with his tongue. When they pulled apart, she remained on top of him, stroking his hair as he ran his hand up and down her back.

"I love you, too, Finn. What are we going to do now?"

"Well, first, I am going to table this topic for the night. There's nothing I can do at this hour about my Dad." He sat up slightly and rolled her under him so he could access her neck. He began placing individual kisses on her skin between his sentences. "Then, I am going to let you comfort me and remind me of who I am. Just me. Just Finn. Under your touch, no crisis, no startling revelations. I want to come alive under your fingertips and I want you to kiss away all the questions that are clouding my mind. I need you tonight, Rachel. After all of this, I am literally aching for you. I need to bury myself in you, to feel you all around me. Can you do that for me?" He was still planting kisses as he spoke.

"I think I can handle that just fine," she said before pulling his face up into a searing kiss. "Come here," and she slid off the hood dragging him into the back seat with her. With the windows down and the breeze blowing across their bodies, she did everything he described. And they woke the next morning tangled up in each other, sunlight beating down on them. Today was uncertain, but one thing was for sure, they were in it together.

**So... what do you think? Wait til you see what happens next. This story will be drawing to a close, but I am already working on another idea... Hope you liked this one! Let me know!**


	13. Chapter 13

**I am sorry it took so long to get this together! Dance Recital, Birthday Party, and Anniversary... OH MY! But, I'm back and ready to see what happens with our favorite team! **

**TEAM FINCHEL!**

Lisa pulled into the apartment complex a little after noon. Duke had called her two days ago to tell her that the proverbial cat had busted out of its bag and all hell had broken loose. She was really surprised that she hadn't heard from her nephew yet and was a little afraid that he would hate her for keeping this secret from him.

She thought about the day her big brother had shown up at her house with her husband trailing behind. She almost ran to him for him to twirl her like he always did, but something was haunting his eyes and she could almost feel the waves of agony rolling from his body. His face was tortured, but resolved, and Rob gave her a look that told her to prepare herself for the storm that was brewing.

_**OCTOBER 1993**_

_**"Chris? What's going on?" she asked with a quiver in her voice.**_

_**"I need you to do something that I don't know how anybody could do." His voice was different. It was weaker somehow and full of trepidation. She had never heard him sound that way in her life. It set her on edge. Rob ushered her into their vehicle and she didn't miss his quick survey of their surroundings. She didn't ask questions, just willingly complied. When they arrived at Duke Collins' office she shot a questioning glance into the rear view mirror, meeting the eyes of her husband. He gave a subtle shake of his head to tell her not to ask anything just yet. He opened her door for her and as they walked toward the door, she felt her brother take her hand, squeezing it tight. This could not be good. Was he using again? Once inside he sanctuary of Duke's office, the three men circled their chairs with hers. Rob looked to Chris for an indication of what to say and his brother-in-law bit the inside of his lip and turned his head, tears threatening his devastated eyes. Rob took charge of the conversation.**_

_**"Lis- I need you to listen to all I have to say before you react, OK? When I'm done, feel free, but you need to hear all of this to understand it." She nodded her agreement without ever letting her eyes leave her brother. Finally, wanting to hear more, she returned them to her husband.**_

_**"OK. So, you know that when we were in the desert Chris and I were involved in that op that killed those kids, right?" She nodded sadly and watched Chris' body stiffen.**_

_**"Well, those kids belonged to some very powerful, very evil people. And, a month ago, Duke received word that they had discovered who led the mission. They know it was Chris and they used their resources here in the states to research his life. They found out where he lives. They have been tracking Carole." He took in her terrified wide eyes and placed his hand on her knee fore reassurance. But taking in the all encompassing fear that shown on her big, tough, hero of a brother, she felt herself filling with the same emotion.**_

_**"Stay with me. I need you to stay calm."**_

_**"K. I got it."**_

_**"These people know only revenge. And their MO is to repay in kind. So, while Chris is fairly safe, it's Carole and Finn that are the targets of their rage."**_

_**"Rob! You can't be serious! He's just a little baby... I mean... We have to stop these people... What-"**_

_**It was Chris' voice that broke into her panic. It was steady. It was calm. It was stone cold steel.**_

_**"I have to disappear." He turned his eyes to look at her with no emotion. It was like a switch had been pulled inside him somewhere and he was suddenly the trained soldier who was ready for the battle of his life.**_

_**"What do you mean you have to disappear?" she asked incredulously, still sifting through the thoughts piling up on top of one another in her head.**_

_**"I mean... that as long as these people think there is no one left to hurt by killing my family, there is no threat to Carole or to my son. My Finn." She saw his resolve waver on the name of the baby boy with the gentle brown eyes that matched his own.**_

_**"What are you suggesting, Christopher Hudson?"**_

_**"The world, including these terrorists, and everyone I love must think that I am dead."**_

_**"That's craz-"**_

_**"No, Lisa," he said, standing up to his full height of six feet three and a half inches. "These people are crazy. They have pictures of Carole with Finn at the grocery store, the library, our front yard... And, they don't make threats for long. They don't give warnings. It's only a matter of time before they act. I am the one they want to punish. I am the one they want vengeance on. If I am gone, they are safe. That's all I need. I need to know that those two precious people are safe. I need to know that my son will grow into a man. That he will experience a rich, full life. That he will find love and have kids of his own so that someday he will know what it feels like to love beyond yourself. I will not give them my son's life. And since they refuse to just take mine, I'm giving it up."**_

_**He watched as his baby sister wiped her tears before she lunged at him, wrapping her arms around his waist and sobbing. He tilted his head back, fighting away the flood of emotion that was threatening to drown him. He finally gathered up enough courage to return them both to their seats.**_

_**"What happens next?" she asked shakily. "How does something like this work?"**_

_**Duke took this one. "We will place him under military surveillance, give him a new identity, a new life. His death will be staged and as far as everyone around him is concerned, he will be gone. Except for the three of us."**_

_**"I don't understand. Isn't something like this normally kept from everyone? Why do I get to know?"**_

_**"Because Hudson can't do this without knowing how his family are doing."**_

_**"Yeah, Lis, I need you to be my eyes and ears. You and Carole are pretty close so I was thinking that you could keep up with her. Help her through this. And we know what a drama queen you are, so acting like I'm dead shouldn't be a stretch... I'm sure you've wished it more than once." He tried a joke to lighten the tension. It didn't work.**_

_**"Don't you ever say anything like that to me again. I love you. I love you more than anyone except Rob."**_

_**"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "Look, I know. I love you, too, Kid. But, I need you to do this for me. I need you to keep tabs on em'. You can tell Rob and he can tell Duke. Duke is my only point of contact and even that will be through another party or two. No one can know that I'm alive. Can you do this? For me?"**_

_**Lisa looked from one man to another around the room. How could she agree to something that still didn't seem real in her head? "So, I will never see you again?"**_

_**Chris simply shook his head. He watched her face as it constricted into a cry so intense, it made no sound and he was taken by surprise when she shot out of her seat and into his lap, holding on to him tightly. "You are all I have left, Chris. Mom and Dad are gone. It's just us. What am I supposed to do without you?" she sobbed into his collar.**_

_**He held steady, knowing she needed him to be strong when all he really wanted to do was lose it completely. "You will have Rob. And you will have Carole and my little man. Be his Aunt. Tell him about his Dad, you know?" This made her cry harder. But after the sobs subsided, she pulled herself back.**_

_**"I will do it. I will do anything for you. But, I am going to miss the hell out of you. I love you so much. Thank you for being my brother, my friend, and my hero for life. You are such a special man. That little boy will never know how much you gave up for him or how much love it took to do it. I'll make sure he knows what kind of man you are." She was ready. She had no choice.**_

_**"I'm here, Lisa," Rob said gently as moved to her, squatting beside the chair she was sharing with her brother. He pulled her head over to kiss her temple.**_

_**"Well, then, I guess this is settled," Duke broke in.**_

_**There was a long silence. Lisa didn't want to let go and Chris knew that once she was gone, he would have seen the last of what was to become his old life. It wasn't often that people got the chance to say things in finality and he didn't want to miss his chance.**_

_**"Lisa, I remember the day Mom and Dad brought you home. I thought I would break you," he chuckled. "Mom put you in my arms and you were all wrapped up in all this pink. I was kind of pissed because I had wanted a brother. But, you opened your eyes and looked at me. And even though I was a kid, there was something in that moment that made me think you would be alright... for a girl. But, I thank God that he gave me you, Little Sister. You have been a pain in my ass for the better part of the journey, but I wouldn't trade a minute of it. I love you. And thank you for doing something that I know will be hard for you, but it makes what I have to do that much easier. And Rob... you hurt my baby sister and no one will have to fake your death... clear?"**_

_**Rob nodded with a smile, pulling Lisa out of her brother's lap and into his comforting arms.**_

_**"Chris, I have always known I was safe with you. You taught me strength, courage, and how to throw a football without looking like a girl. I am who I am because you are my brother. I love you so much." And the dam burst. He stood to hold her close, whispering calming words.**_

_**"Let's go, Lisa. We can't be in on the next part." Rob whispered.**_

_**Lisa nodded sadly, sniffling. She reached up on her toes to kiss Christopher on the cheek and took his face in her hands to memorize his face. "I'll make sure Flipper is OK." They both smiled at this name she had come up with and he closed his eyes and nodded appreciatively. Rob led her out the door with one last look back.**_

Now, sitting in front of his son's apartment, she had no idea how to talk to her nephew about this. But, she owed it to her brother to try. She knocked three solid times and waited with bated breath on an answer. The answer came in the form of the little powerhouse she had come to really like.

"Lisa!" Rachel greeted her with a hug. Well, at least she doesn't hate me, Lisa thought.

"Aunt Lisa to you, Ma'am," Lisa smiled.

"Come in! Finn is working but he should be back in an hour or so. Want something to drink?"

"Water would be great."

Rachel brought back two waters a settled in on the couch across from the chair Lisa chose.

"So, how is he?" Might as well cut right to the chase.

Rachel thought for a moment before answering slowly. "He's... stunned, obviously. He has a million questions. Nothing could have prepared him for this, but, he's steadily improving. How are you?" She figured Finn's aunt wouldn't be having the easiest time herself.

"I'm worried. I am scared that Flipper will hate me. I am afraid of what could happen if this stopped being a secret. But, I just really want that boy to know what it took for that man to do what he did. To know what kind of love it takes to let go of the person you cherish most so they will have an amazing life."

"I happen to know he already does, remember?" Rachel smiled warmly. "He doesn't hate you. He gets why you kept it from him. He wanted to call you when he found out, but he didn't know what he would say. He'll be glad you're here. So, do you know where he is?"

"No" She reached for the notebook that was laying on the table and wrote. PROBABLY SHOULDN'T TALK ABOUT IT HERE. WHERE DID YOU GET THE BOX THAT DUKE TOLD ME ABOUT?

Rachel took it and read it. She wrote: WE DON'T KNOW. IT JUST SHOWED UP WITH FINN'S NAME ON IT. NO RETURN ADDRESS.

WHAT WAS IN IT? BESIDES THE PHOTO.

ALL OF MR. HUDSON'S RECORDS AND SOME OTHER PHOTOS. MEDICAL RECORDS, DISCHARGE PAPERS, THAT SORT OF THING.

CAN I SEE?

DO YOU REALLY THINK THIS PLACE COULD BE BUGGED?

I THINK IT COULD BE BUT DON'T THINK IT IS. BUT BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY.

Rachel went to get the box and brought it out to Lisa. Lisa inspected the package before digging inside. She was still looking through it when a very sweaty Finn walked through the door. She stood and walked to him reluctantly.

"How ya doin', Flipper?"

"Don't know yet. But, I need a shower before I hug you."

"You still wanna hug me?"

"You're like my favorite aunt," he tossed out one of his half grins with a quick eye roll.

"You're my favorite nephew."

"I'm your only nephew."

"You're still my favorite." She poked him in his wet chest.

Finn looked over her head to the girl still sitting on the couch.

"Hey there, beautiful. Missed you today."

"You were gone for like three hours," she said jokingly.

"They seem longer when you're not there." He gave her a heart wrecking smile that was cut off by the gagging noise made by his teasing aunt.

"God, Flip, go get a shower. Maybe it'll wash some of the sap off of you." She winked and smirked to let him know she was kidding and giggled adoringly as he took a detour over to Rachel for a quick kiss before heading back to the bedroom.

Rachel studied Lisa's face as her eyes followed Finn until he was out of sight. "He'll be fine, you know?" she said, gaining the slightly older woman's attention.

"I can see that. He has his Dad's resiliency. And his secret weapon. You." She moved back to her seat in front of the box with mysterious origin.

"I'm not the secret weapon. It's us together. That's the secret weapon. We're like two parts of a whole, you know? He does the same kind of things for me."

"I have never seen anything like the two of you. You are so young, but so, so, so committed to each other."

"I guess we just aren't concerned with the same things our peers are. We see the bigger picture. And, we aren't foolish enough to think that there won't be problems or times when one or both of us want out. But, we have made the choice to never give up."

"It's refreshing," Lisa offered and took a sip of her water. "Chris wanted me to look after Finn and Carole and I don't think I did a very good job."

"Why would you say that? They love you. Finn talked about you a lot of the way here."

"I should have been there more. I should have visited more often or let him come stay. I don't know. I mean, I told him stories about his Dad when I was with him, but Carole, she suffered so much. I guess I was afraid that if I was around them and saw what she was doing to make ends meet, I would break. Rachel, when all of this went down, it was so scary. I laid awake at night picturing that sweet little face and praying that he would always be safe. The thought that there were people who -," she cut herself off remembering the risk. "Finn was the sweetest little boy," she said with a shake of her head and a nostalgic smile.

Rachel, who had been listening intently with a sympathetic ear, brightened and sat up a little more, eager to hear where this was going.

"At Christmas, he would open a gift and then run around the room and hug everybody to thank them for it, whether they gave it to him or not. And then return to get another one and repeat," she laughed and Rachel giggled with delight. "He was always acutely aware of Carole. Where she was, what she was doing, how she was feeling. If he knew she was down, even at the age of three, he would crawl up next to her and rub her back with his little hands. One time when I was visiting, Flipper was helping me with dinner, he couldn't have been older than five, and I needed something from the cabinet above the fridge, so I went to get a step ladder. When I got back I saw an open bottom cabinet, an open drawer, and my nephew sitting on top of the refrigerator digging to get me what I needed." Both women cackled with laughter and the Finn section of Rachel's heart expanded when she didn't think it possible. It's just who he has always been. He takes care of. And this burden has been a lot to bear. And I had finally gotten used to it. And, now. This," she held up the photo of a very much alive Christopher Hudson. "Anyone could have this if you do. We don't know how it got here."

Rachel's anxious expression was cut off by Finn's entrance. He was still swiping at his hair with a towel. He was wearing a white tshirt and sports shorts. He sat down next to Rachel and pulled her close. "You smell good," she quipped, pecking his neck once and smiling up at him.

"Were you guys talking about me or something? Kind of intense when I walked in. Gotta say," he looked between the women.

"Yes. Actually. We were," his aunt confessed. "I was telling her what a brat you were." She laughed at his feigned hurt. "Just kidding. But, seriously, I was thinking we should take this," she gestured to the box at her feet, "and go see your Uncle."

Finn looked to Rachel in confusion and she put the tablet from earlier in front of him. While he read, his eyes got wider and he looked to Lisa for a reality check. Her nod let him know it was legit.

"OK. Good idea," he said. He took the box to Lisa's car with her and she started it while he went back in to get Rachel.

She was standing at the door slipping on her shoes and he leaned against the door as he shut it. She turned to look at him. She just stared at him with a look he didn't think he had seen before. He chuckled a little. "What?" he said, smiling down at her in wonder.

"Nothing," she replied. " I was just thinking that some day, I want a little boy as amazing as his father. And I hope he is a precious as you were... Are."

Touched, he bent to kiss her softly, letting his arms wrap all the way around her body. "I can't wait to see what our babies are like," he said, resting his forehead against hers.

"All in good time, Finn. All in good time." She kissed him this time, deep and slow. So deep and so slow that they forgot they were headed out the door until the horn blared form outside and they heard a faint voice yell, "stop making out and get in the car!"

"Kurt?" Finn joked and they both fell into a fit of laughter as they walked out the door to continue this adventure.

**Hope you liked it. There was a lot of back story, but I felt it was necessary to the rest of the story. Reviews are like fuel for my typing fingers! Thank you for hanging in there with me!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Again, thanks for the good stuff! :) I am loving every minute of this! This chapter moves story along a little, but I was really needing some cute Finchel so I threw some of that in the mix. Last couple of chapters were a little heavy! I hope it doesn't feel out of place! **

**And, I was thinking today. I get to make up my own story, but I am so thankful to the writers of Glee for giving me such awesome characters to play with. And to Cory and Lea who make them who they are. We may not always get exactly what we want, (can't please all the people all the time) but Glee still has some of the best dialogue I have ever seen on TV. whether you agree or disagree...Had to say it! **

Papers upon papers upon pictures upon papers. That was what was surrounding the four people in the floor of the now familiar office of Duke Collins. Lisa, Duke, Finn, and Rachel all sat combing through them. They had arrived around two in the afternoon and it was approaching 10:30. They had stopped only to eat and when Duke needed to take calls, but it was worth it to be able to pare down everything and be able to focus only on the things they needed to use. With Duke's help, they had discarded a lot of things as completely useless.

It was slightly uncomfortable for Finn to sit in a room with a man who knew where his Dad was but was unable to tell him, but he understood why. For now. Finn had decided that since there was pretty much nothing he could do to change the situation, he just had to continue his mission to get redemption for the man that gave up everything to save him. His thoughts drifted to his Mom. What would she do if she knew? She had her life with Burt. Burt was the man that had finally been able to heal her. And, Finn had grown to love him as a father as well. News like this could derail her life, not that he had the option of telling her. But, how would he go the rest of his life and keep it from her? It felt like lying. It felt wrong. With a physical shake of his head, he shook off the thoughts as irrelevant at the moment. He glanced up at Rachel. She was concentrating so hard on whatever she was reading, biting her bottom lip, furrowed brow. His lopsided smile showed up on his face and he couldn't help but be amused at how cute she was. She must have felt his gaze because she brought her eyes up to meet his. They shared a smile for a mere second and both went back to their own papers. It was about fifteen more minutes before Finn scrambled to get up reading the yellow paper in his hand so intently the other three thought he might be seeing though the thing.

"What did you find?" Rachel asked, bringing herself to her feet and stepping across the mess to stand next to him.

"It's the name of the asshole that sold out my Dad," he brought it lower so that she could read it.

"Dr. Jennings Taylor?" Rachel read out loud.

All eyes turned toward Duke for any indication that he recognized the name. His eyes were narrowed and moving around trying to ring bells in his head. "I never met with him, so I don't know. But his name is certainly a good start. I can look through our data base and see if I can get any info on him. I mean, it's slightly illegal, but we are keeping a lot of secrets in this room already. And, your nobility deserves some leniency. You know, son, it's a shame that the rest of us were willing to let this go for so many years. I am sorry it took you growing up to make this right. But, in a way , it's fitting that it be you. You have me in your corner, for sure."

"Can we look him up now?" Finn asked, eager to get anything on this guy.

"Well, we can use a search engine, but I won't have access to anything classified until tomorrow morning."

"It's a start, right?"

"Let's take a look," Duke said, wheeling his chair back to his computer, Finn following to lean behind him. Rachel and Lisa continued to look through their mountain on the floor.

"Here's something. Dr. Jennings Taylor, PhD... mental health professional specializing in military support. Looks like he dropped his rank from his name."

Finn's scoff came out involuntarily. He tried to restrain his bitterness and focus on the task at hand.

"These are just listings of doctors..." Duke tried another search. "Well... this is interesting."

Finn dropped into a squat to get a better look. He had to read the head line twice to make sure he saw it correctly. LOCAL DOCTOR CHARGED WITH ILLEGAL DISTRIBUTION OF NARCOTICS FOUND NOT LIABLE; CHARGES DROPPED

"Are you freaking kidding me?" Finn erupted and took a few steps backward. Seeing the confused expressions of the two women staring at him with startled wide eyes. "He screwed somebody else. He did the same damn thing to somebody else. Where was it? I'm gonna drive there. Tonight." He was gesturing wildly with his hands.

"Keep it together, Hudson," Duke said, trying to calm the boy down. The words struck a chord of nostalgia and he took a second to appreciate it. "Let's read before we head to the front line, OK?" He began to read the words on the screen aloud.

_Dr. Jennings Taylor, former military psychiatrist, was charged earlier this week with distributing illegal amounts of narcotics by writing undocumented prescriptions. Charges were filed after the parents of a young soldier sued for the damages their son sustained due to narcotics abuse while under the care of Dr. Taylor. In a statement released this afternoon, charges were dropped and the case dismissed._

"That's unbelievable," Rachel said.

"Does it say where? Or when?" Finn inquired.

"Looks like the article was published six years ago in Nashville, Tennessee. But look, Rambo, you can't just go charge in there and kick this guy's ass. That's not gonna help at all." He laughed a little and shook his head. "Damn, you are more and more like your old man the more I get to know you. He had the same "kick ass now, ask questions later," spirit you do. But, he knew when to reign it in. This is one of those times. If this son of a bitch has gotten away with this for this long, he's doing something crafty. We are gonna have to be smart about this and somehow outwit him."

Finn was taking in the words of the soldier talking to him. He pursed his lips and nodded at the words buzzing through his brain. He could do that. He could. A quick glance at Rachel calmed him back to a semi-normal state.

"OK. How do we do it?" he asked, ready to move on this immediately.

"Gonna need some time to think about that one, Kid. Why don't you take this pretty young lady home, get some rest, and I'll use my contacts to dig around a little tomorrow."

"Yeah. Alright. Hey, thanks so much, Sir," he received a nod from Duke before turning to Rachel. "You ready?

"Ready when you are."

"Well, let's get you two home, then," Lisa said, slapping her knees to push herself to her feet.

"Thanks, Duke. You have no idea how much this means to me, Finn said before leaving.

"I just might, son."

Finn nodded and led Rachel out with his hand on the small of her back. Lisa gave a small wave and she followed them out.

They didn't even bother turning on the lights when they went in. They both kicked their shoes off at the door and walked arm in arm to the bed. Rachel didn't even bother with her nightly ritual. Just threw on a tank top over her panties and fell in next to a boxer clad Finn. She crooked her leg over his waist and laid her head to his chest. His hand absently stroked a light path up and down the bare skin of her arm and his other was laying at her waist playing with the hem of her shirt. For her part, she had buried her free hand under his head and was running her fingers through his hair which she knew always helped him fall asleep.

"What do you think my Dad is doing right now?" he asked, his voice drowsy.

"I don't know. It's hard to imagine."

"He was at our graduation, Rachel. He saw me sing. Do you think he's proud of me?"

She struggled a little to raise herself up on her elbow and moved her hand to rest on his chest.

"Of course he is, Finn. What is there to not be proud of?"

He smiled as he began to doze off. "I love you."

"I love you," she whispered. "Sweet dreams." She kissed him softly and felt his relaxed lips move lazily against hers. She stroked the hair at his hairline and watched his eyes close slowly.

The last thing he did before he finally fell asleep was pull her back down to rest against him and she soon followed him into slumber.

For the first time since he had known her he woke up before she did. She hadn't bothered with an alarm so they could just sleep, but his mind and his dreams just wouldn't give him the luxury. He had slept a good long time, but he found himself wide awake way earlier than he would have liked. He got out of bed as stealthily as possible and turned to look at her. It wasn't that often that he got to watch her sleep and he crouched beside the bed to look across it at her face. It was weird when her face wasn't animated. She looks so little and her face is so child like, he thought. He couldn't resist the urge to run the back of his finger over her cheek. She never even moved. He smiled and left the room before his dirty thoughts took over and he totally killed the moment. It was still pretty dark outside, but since he was awake, he thought he might go for a run to clear his head. He stretched in front of the door before starting out with a jog. His brain was full to bursting with some pretty heavy stuff. First and most mind blowing, his Dad, his dead Dad, was actually more undead than he thought. Which would be great news, except that it really didn't change anything. In fact, it kind of made it all worse because now he had to just long for a man he still could never meet. And, he had to keep it from his Mom which was absolutely killing him. They had always shared his death, and now they couldn't share this. It could get them both killed. But, in spite of that, Finn had an almost consuming need to see him. It was his Dad, for God's sake. A man he had made up in his mind for eighteen years. A man who formed his decisions and set his expectations for himself. A man with the answers to so many of Finn's unanswered questions. But, none of that mattered. Finn couldn't decide if he was glad to know or wished he had never found out. It wasn't like TV when they think someone is dead and then they come back and everybody passes out and cries and hugs. It would be, but, his Dad still wasn't coming back.

Then there was this Jennings Taylor bastard. The man who sent his Dad on a downward spiral and left to hang for it. Soiled what would have been a stellar military record. Kept his father from being seen as the hero he truly was. That was where Finn had to put his focus. He might not be able to do anything about his Dad's situation, but he sure as hell could get this guy and "diplomatically coerce" him into confessing what he did. he learned that phrase from Duke the other night. Maybe he should google water boarding. No, then he'd just be in more trouble. This didn't seem like the kind of person who could be reasoned with or just guilted into doing the right thing. So how the hell was Finn supposed to do what he came here to do? He was closer now than ever, but he didn't even know where this guy was. And where he would have to go to find him.

And then there was Rachel. She had given him so much this summer. He tried to picture what all of this would have been like if she hadn't been here and he knew without a doubt he would have already been arrested for something. And, he thought he had all summer with her, but she was going to leave early. And that's what he wanted for her, but the fact that their time was gonna end soon and he would be left to finish this alone was kind of freaking him out. And, now who knew how long this would take. How long it would keep him away from her. How far it would take him away from her. And she was leaving in just two weeks. But, they'd be OK. She showed him that they could still be committed without being in the same place. He was gonna miss the hell out of her though.

These were the thoughts that were racing through Finn's head as he just continued to run, drums and guitar pounding in his ears. He didn't even know how long he had been gone when he finally returned to his door. He could smell her cooking from outside and his mouth started to water.

Rachel greeted him with her megawatt smile and he removed his ear buds and kicked off his running shoes at the door.

"What are you doing, beautiful?" he went to grab a towel from the dryer to wipe away his sweat.

"Hello, Dear! I'm just cooking for my man like a good little wife," she said without losing her smile.

His head popped back around the corner to look at her skeptically. "I don't think I like Stepford Rachel. That was way freaky." She laughed her infectious laugh.

"Don't worry, I like cooking for you, but it won't be a one way street."

"Noted," he said, coming around behind her and kissing the back of her neck under her pony tail. "That smells awesome! Pancakes and bacon? What are you gonna eat?"

"Fruit... same as always," she said, popping a blueberry in her mouth. "Have a good run?"

"Yeah. Got a lot of thinking done."

"Oh yeah?" She handed him a plate and continued to the table. "What did you come up with?"

He sat and took the first bite and swallowed before answering. "Well, my Dad is alive and I can say that without hearing a roaring sound in my ears now. Can't really do anything about it, doesn't change anything. I can't tell my Mom, which is the really sucky part, because it goes against everything I'm made of not to. But, it keeps us safe, so, there's no reason to turn her life upside down. And if I would have joined up, there would be a lot of secrets I would have to keep. I am on my way to taking that asshole down that ruined any chance my Dad had of leaving an honorable legacy for his heroism. And that brings me to you. It just hit me that we only have two more weeks here together."

"You did A LOT of thinking out there!" she giggled as he took another bite.

"I know," he said, his mouth full and more precious than ever. He didn't say a lot more until he was finished and had washed his plate.

"You seem like you are in a fairly good place, emotionally, I mean," she observed.

"Well, I guess I just kind of decided to focus on the things I could actually control."

"That's very healthy, Finn. I tend to just want to control everything."

"Really? In all our time together I never noticed this trait," he said with sexy sarcasm dripping from his tone.

"Don't be an ass, Finn."

"Did you just call me an ass?"

"Yes, I did."

"I don't know whether to be offended or really turned on." He was starting to move toward her, backing her toward the sink. She kept backing up from his advance.

"I meant to offend you, so do what you will with that," she said in her prissy way.

He playfully clutched at his heart. "That hurt, Rachel Berry, right here." He had backed her as far as she could go.

"At least you picked the right side this time," she quipped.

"Oh, you know right where to inflict punishment, don't you?" He was moving toward her face and she was fighting like hell not to laugh. But the joke was on him because just as he reached her, she threw on the water and sprayed him down with the spray gun on the faucet. She had been gripping it since her back hit the sink. He let out a rather girlish yelp and tried to run but she grabbed the waistband of his pants to hold him there and continued to spray. He finally managed to get it away from her and get his arms around her waist, but when he went to pull on her he slipped and they both fell to the ground in a fit of laughter so hard they were having trouble getting their muscles to cooperate.

"Look at what you did!" he said like the obnoxious kid on the playground who likes to throw people under the bus. "You made a meessss."

"You deserved it," she somehow managed to get out through her giggles.

"It's gonna be a bitch to clean up. I'd hate to be you." He started to get up, feet slipping around before reaching to help her up.

"I think you should help me," she said with a pout.

"Oh...no. You made the mess, you clean it up. I so sound like Carole Hudson right now." He turned to head toward the shower.

"If you help me clean it, we can use my clothes for a towel." She bit her bottom lip and smiled triumphantly when he stopped dead in his tracks. He turned slowly with one eyebrow raised in interest.

"Really?" He sounded like a small child.

"Really." She didn't.

"Deal!" He said very enthusiastically.

Rachel got naked. The room got clean. And Finn got lucky. It. Was. Awesome.

After a fun and free morning, Finn's phone rang just before dinner. He was out on a service call and had left his phone in his hurry to get his clothes on and get out the door. Rachel answered it in case it was important.

"Hello?"

"Rachel? It's Duke. How are you?"

"Oh, Hey! I'm well. Finn is out but he'll be back any minute."

"Good. I have some interesting information for him. Why don't you guys meet me at the base gate when he gets back?"

"Of course. Should I prepare myself or Finn for another bombshell?"

"Oh, no. Nothing too life changing for once. Just useful."

"Great. We'll be there soon."

Duke's news was good news. He had managed to locate Jennings Taylor.

"He's in North Carolina. He runs a clinic there. Apparently, people in the tar heel state don't do their research because he seems to be well respected there."

"What do I do now, Duke? You said I can't kick his ass, so what do I do?"

"I've been thinking about that. He's a manipulator so he will pick up on anything shady. We are going to have to get a confession, so we have to be smarter than he is."

"And how do we do that?"

"I'm still not sure. One thing he would never have counted on is you. So, we have the element of surprise on our side."

"I have an idea," chirped the female voice from behind Finn.

"Rachel Berry is about to use her talent to destroy this man, make him cry tears of pain, and beg for the days before he laid eyes on her."

"She always this dramatic?" Duke asked Finn.

Finn dropped the grin he was still showing. "It's who she is. And when she starts talking in third person, you really know you're in trouble."

He looked back at her with a smile that comes with knowing someone so well and was met with the mischievous look he knew very, very well. What the hell was she up to now?

**Oh, Rachel! What is she about to do? Lots of surprises left to come! Review= Happiness!**


	15. Chapter 15

**So... the last chapter was just a gift to you guys for being patient with the updates. I hope you liked it because I didn't keep the receipt! :) Our Rachel is about to put on the performance of a lifetime... And she's breaking Finn into the acting biz as well. Here we go!**

Blank stares met her when she finished detailing the brilliant plan that had sprung up in her over imaginative head. The two men blinked as she looked at them expectantly and with great excitement.

"Is she serious?" the older of the two said to the younger.

"Oh, yeah. She's serious," Finn said with an amused smirk finally gracing his features.

"Come on!" she begged. "It's the perfect plan. He will never see it coming. I promise you one thing he never counted on was Rachel Berry when she wants something."

"I know I sure didn't," Finn said sweetly tossing her a smile that under different circumstances would have reaped him major benefits. Instead, she lowered her head shyly and squeezed his hand, smiling up at him from under her lashes.

"And just look how that turned out," she flirted.

Duke looked between them a few times, rolled his eyes, and then, pulling them out of the moment, his gruff, but entertained voice said, "Alright, let's suppose for a second that your, um... creative...(he didn't want to say crazy but it was certainly the first word that came to mind) plan actually works. Then what?"

"We take what we know to the proper authorities. I don't know what happens about Mr. Hudson after that, but I know I can at least make this guy face the consequences of his actions. Nobody messes with my family. Finn is my family. Mr. Hudson is my family." The look of sentiment and pride on Finn's face when she spoke was practically shooting light beams off the ceiling.

Duke sighed loudly and looked skeptical at best. "Run it by me again. You were talking rather fast the first time. Maybe I missed the part of it that made sense," he smiled to let her know he was kidding.

Bypassing the light ribbing, she began again. "Finn and I will go to North Carolina and I will pretend to be a student majoring in psychology who needs someone to shadow-"

"And how do you know he will agree to this?" Duke interrupted with a dose of logic.

"I am very persuasive. He will not turn me down." Her face showed no lack of confidence.

He raised an eyebrow at her bravado and pursed his lips. "Proceed-" he said, shifting forward on his seat, folding his elbows on his desk.

"Once I am in, and I will get in, Finn will come in seeking treatment for depression. Finn and I will be immediately attracted in a good student meets brooding bad boy forbidden romance full of passion and angst and-"

"Move to the point, Rach," Finn reminded under his breath, knowing that she was headed into one of her fantasy filled descriptions that she could get totally lost in.

An irritated huff escaped her lungs before she continued with less fanfare. "Anyway, I will be on the inside gathering info while Finn is in his private sessions. Finn will give his story with all fake names, reminding Dr. Taylor of his sins. I will interview him with a fake interview questionnaire about ethical practices. And somehow I will get him to admit what he did. It's foolproof."

Duke closed his eyes. "And you came up with all of that in the few minutes we were talking about where he was?"

"Sergeant Collins, my brain tends to work faster than the average person. I also have a flair for elaborate plans. I must be ready for any role at any time."

Finn hadn't seen this Rachel in awhile. He missed her. He also fought the urge to laugh. He fought a much stronger urge to take her against the filing cabinets. She was so adorable and, well, hot as hell, when she got like this. It reminded him of when he was first falling in love with her. He used to love the feeling he got when he watched her in action. He loved the feeling of getting caught up in the Rachel Berry of it all. She may be dramatic, but she was never boring. She had been so subdued these last few weeks in an effort to keep him calm and though he was so thankful for that, he was glad to see her fire was still lit.

"Now, I will need fake credentials from a university and Finn will need some things as well," she finished.

Duke looked at her for awhile, contemplating the logistics of what she proposed. It was far fetched and unlikely to work, but there was something about it that struck an optimistic chord with him. Or, maybe just as she said, she was just that persuasive. "Look, I can't stop you. And, God help me, I half way think it might work because I can't imagine you failing for some reason. But, if for any reason things start to get suspicious, you will call me. I will help you with this. I may regret it, but, it's for Chris. And he deserves it."

She let out a yelp and clapped her hands, making her way around the man's desk and throwing herself around him in a hug. He didn't know how to respond at first, but laughed and put an arm around her tiny waist, shaking his head.

"You have your hands full, Hudson," he remarked to Finn.

"And I love every minute of it," Finn said, beaming.

It was settled. There was only one problem.

"Rach-" Finn said as they drove home. "You are leaving in like two and a half weeks. How is this gonna work?"

"I have thought about that, and if it takes longer than two and a half weeks, I will just have to come up with a reason to come back and forth for awhile. My Dads will help me. I know they will. This is important. They may not have wanted us to get married this young, but they love you and they know now that you will always put me first and they will want to help you."

Finn smiled at this. He was worried they would hate him when he told them about sending Rachel to New York, but they had both been so great to him. Thanked him even. They told him that some day (emphasis on the some day) they would be proud to call him their son. Another thought broke into his reverie.

"Where are we going to stay?"

"We still have our honeymoon money plus some. We will use my Dads' rewards for a hotel and if they run out, we will still be fine. Look, Finn, if we leave tonight, we will be in Charlotte in like, six hours. We can start first thing in the morning."

"I have to talk to Margot." Finn dreaded that. He had come to love the lady and she had been so generous. He had promised her notice, but he hadn't counted on all of this. He really didn't want to leave her in a bind. And, he didn't know if he was going to Charlotte for days or weeks or if he would have to come back. And what happens when we take him down?

"What if it works? Who knows where I will have to go with the information?"

"We knew it could take awhile, Finn, but we are so close to a victory, here. Look, I had enough faith to get on a train when I didn't know what was really going on with us. You wanted me to let the universe do it's thing. I think this situation calls for the same plan." She looked at him and could still see his hesitation. "You know my sixth sense?"

He nodded and bit his lip, trying not to laugh out loud.

"I can feel that this is going to work. I can." He gave her a sideways glance and the look of defiance on her face was enough. The laugh finally escaped and he kept one eye on the road as he leaned over to kiss her soundly. "OK!" he shouted.

"OK?" she questioned giddily.

Her excitement ran over and she threw her arms around his neck suddenly planting a kiss on his cheek and causing him to swerve a little.

"Careful, Babe," he chuckled.

"This is going to be epic. Just wait and see!"

It was nearing 9 pm when Finn and Rachel knocked on Margot's door. The curtains moved in the window and the door opened shortly after.

"You are just going to have to excuse me," Margot said without a greeting. "I wouldn't have opened the door looking like this if it weren't my babies." She turned into her living room while she was finishing her sentence and just expected the two young people to follow her. She wore a brightly colored Mu Mu and her hair was in brush rollers. She was barely recognizable without all the make up and for the first time Rachel confirmed her suspicions that the woman wore false lashes. But, her warm smile and southern drawl were familiar. Her house was decorated with frills galore. Bright colors, of course were found in every corner and her furniture was oversized with ruffled pillows. She had a large cabinet TV and she was watching a crime drama rerun. On the coffee table in front of her was a stack of grocery store circulars, nail polish remover, and a mason jar full of red wine.

"C'mon, you're gorgeous," Finn offered with a flirty smile.

"Honey, don't make yourself a liar. But, thanks for trying to make an old girl feel good. Rachel, you really got yourself a prize dontcha Baby?"

"Yes. I really do," she agreed as she wrapped an arm around her fiance's waist and gave an appreciative squeeze. His arm came around her in turn and he bent to kiss the top of her head.

"Well, what brings you two by?" Margot asked, going back to painting her half finished toenails.

Finn made his way to the chair in front of her and Rachel took a seat in his lap. "I kind of need to talk to you about something. See, I have had a big break in my Dad's case. We have located the shrink that gave him the drugs."

"Why, Finn, that's wonderful. What gauge shotgun you want?"

Finn chuckled nervously because although he thought she was kidding, there was a very real chance she wasn't. "Um, as tempting an offer as that is, we are going the less violent route. But, we need to go to North Carolina and I don't know how long we will be gone. And, I also don't know if I will need to come back. I know I promised you advanced notice, but-"

"Don't you dare feel bad about that. Honey, what you are doing her is unpredictable. I know that. How about this? I will hold your apartment for a couple of weeks until you know more and we will play it by ear."

"What about the lawn and repair stuff? You don't need to be doing all that." Finn was genuinely concerned about this lady.

"Sweetie, I was making do before you got here. I will get by again. I just want you to get some justice for your Daddy. Now, I know you are a yankee. A precious yankee, but still, a yankee. But, there is something so southern about a boy growing into a man and fighting for his family name."

"That's not just a southern thing, Miss Margot," Finn chided gently with a sideways smile.

"Well, maybe not," she conceded, "but we like to think it is." She grinned teasingly. She got up, careful not to bump her toes and walked over to Finn. "Do what you got to do. I'll help you however I can." Finn helped Rachel up as he stood to hug Margot.

"Thank you," he said softly, humbled by her support. "You have no idea what you have done for me."

"Well, you just promise me that wherever you two end up, I get a wedding invitation, that will be thanks enough for me." She smiled, patting his back rapidly and turning to embrace Rachel. "When ya'll leaving?"

Finn stuck his hands in his pockets and shrugged, "as soon as we can pack, I guess."

"Well, ya'll be careful," she moved over to a small roll top desk in the far left corner of the room. "And, here, I want you to take this." She handed Finn an envelope with well over $500 in it.

"No, I can't take this, Miss Margot. You have already given me way too much as it is," he extended the envelope back to her crossed arms and indignant face.

"Obviously you have never tried to give a gift back to a southern woman. Ain't gonna happen, Baby, so you might as well just say thank you and go."

Finn looked at Rachel and she threw her arms around the round faced woman in front of them. "Thank you. For everything," she said with tears in her eyes.

"It's my pleasure. I only have one son to spoil and he's on his own now. I consider this a contribution to an American hero."

Finn kissed her cheek. "You're so awesome."

It was midnight before they were ready to travel. They decided to drive through the night and sleep when they got there. On their way, Rachel went over every detail of the plan and thought of problems that they might run into and solutions to them. She forced Finn to show her his best depressed characterizations and even provided notes. As they entered Charlotte, Rachel was quick to find a hotel via cell phone internet and they had made good time because Finn regarded speed limit signs as mere suggestions. It was a little after 5:30am and by the time they hit the bed, they were already asleep. Their wake up call came six hours later and they decided on lunch before putting their plan into action. They made a stop at the mall where Rachel picked up her best studious college girl attire, complete with fake eye glasses and fake pearls. The navy cardigan, whit cami, and red pencil skirt weren't a stretch for her fashion boundaries, but she had to admit she looked very scholarly. She stopped in the mall bathroom to get dressed. She pulled her hair up in a bun, and took a good look. "Totally gonna nail this role," she said out loud to herself. She got into character and walked out to meet Finn at the truck. When he saw her his mouth dropped a little and stood up from sitting just inside the driver's side door with his feet on the ground, unable to take his eyes off of her. Every uptight good girl gone wild fantasy ran through his head and his very evident swallow did not solve the problem of his very evident arousal. This was one of the sexiest things he had ever seen. His reaction didn't go unnoticed by Rachel, but she kept her amusement closely guarded, opting to have a little fun with him instead.

"Excuse me, Sir?" she marched up to him, serious expression plastered on her face.

He still hadn't moved and his brain wasn't working quickly enough at the moment to catch on.

"Sir?" she repeated.

OH! She means me. I get it. "Can I help you?" he played along, raising his right arm to rest on the top of the truck door.

"I am a student at Duke (appropriate, she thought) , majoring in psychology and I was wondering what your thoughts were on Freud's theories." She raised her eyebrows above her glasses and he thought he caught the hint of a

smirk.

"Um, I'm sorry, miss, I'm not sure what you're talking about." This wasn't a lie.

"Oh, well, he says that we are by nature, pleasure seekers," she advanced on him with a predatory gleam in her eye, causing him to fall back onto the seat, "and that we seek pleasure through certain... erogenous zones." She was now standing between his legs playing watching her own fingers toy with the collar of his shirt. She flicked them up briefly and caught the heat coming from his.

He cleared his throat and croaked out, "Um... I haven't heard about that. Can you tell me more about it? I am way interested." His breath was heavier and when her index finger drew a line from his chin to his belly, he shuddered and his eyes shut involuntarily.

"Well," she began, pushing him to scoot backward across the seats, "humans have zones on our bodies where we are likely to become aroused," she placed a knee in the driver's seat and began to crawl toward him after shutting the door behind her. The truck was running and the air vent blew her bangs slightly. "The skin is the biggest," she said, running her hands down the exposed skin of his forearms. "the eyelids," she kissed each of his, "the ears," she said directly on top of his left ear in a hot whisper. "The shoulders are another," she said, kissing him where his neck met his shoulder and pulling at his collar to reveal more skin to cover. "The most obvious," she ran her hand down his abdomen and turned her hand under to cup him with a squeeze, drawing a sharp gasp and heavier breathing, "and the mouth," she finished with a hot kiss. Her hand hadn't moved and was now stroking as she moved her tongue in his mouth. His hands had become frantic on her body, unable to control himself after what was by far the most erotic thing that had ever happened to him. His kisses came with gulps for air and he wasn't even ashamed of the moans she was eliciting from him. And then, she sat up. His hair was wild, his lips were red, his shirt was stretched, and he was trying desperately to breathe. And she sat up. She primly fixed her clothes, straightening them out with her hands and moved from her current straddling position leaving him bewildered.

"So, now that you have been educated, what do you think of Freud's theories?" she asked studiously.

"You are NOT gonna leave me like this," he stated.

"Like what, Sir? I don't even know you, it wouldn't be very prudent for me to have relations with you. I was merely conducting an academic survey."

His head fell back against the passenger door in frustration with a growl. Her mouth twitched. She was enjoying this a great deal.

"However, you are quite handsome and you are a phenomenal kisser, so who knows? Buy me dinner later and we will negotiate." And with that, she exited the driver's door and walked to the other side to get in. He made his way to his seat to drive.

"Oh, we are gonna negotiate alright," he said as she sat down. "Damn stranger getting me all hot and then leaving me hanging."

She laughed hard enough that he couldn't help joining her.

"That was the hottest thing I have ever experienced in my life, Rach."

"Who is Rach? It's Ms. Berry to you," she pulled the glasses down and looked at him over the top of them, pulling her bottom lip through her teeth.

He just stared. "You're killing me." He pulled out and headed toward the address he had been given as his tease of a future wife had another laugh at his expense.

Jennings Taylor's office was in a small medical complex made of red brick and surrounded by other clinics of different kinds.

"Are you sure you are ready for this?" he turned to her abruptly, not sure about himself.

"I was born to play this part," she said intensely. "Finn, relax, this is a good plan."

"Just be careful, OK? I don't like the idea of you being in there with that bastard without me." He took her hand in his and looked at it as he stroked it.

"You will be right here. I promise I won't do anything stupid." She leaned over to kiss him quickly before jumping out and walking through the glass door in front of them, causing Finn's hands to sweat and his body into nervous shifting.

The office was very calming. A water fountain wall could be heard trickling in the waiting area and soothing music was playing through the overhead speakers. It was a small space with only one receptionist out front.

"May I help you?" the woman with the slick blonde ponytail offered in a voice so smooth and calming it could have been a recording from a hypnotist tape. It threw Rachel off her game for just a second, but then she snapped out of it.

She walked with purpose up to the counter. "Yes, you may. My name is Rachel berry and I am a student at Duke University. My major is psychology and I have been assigned to find a licensed psychologist to study for my field work. I am a huge fan of Dr. Taylor's work and I was hoping for a moment of his time to discuss the possibility of studying under him."

"Well, Dr. Taylor is very busy. If you would like to make an appointment to speak with him, you may, but, I'm afrai-"

"Who would like to speak with me?" Rachel heard a deep voice and then he appeared around the corner.

Jennings Taylor. The man who took her future father-in-laws good reputation. She tried to keep her eyes from narrowing. He was a slender man, dark haired with streaks of silver. He wore clothes that were different than she thought they would be. Khakis and a dark blue polo, tucked in of course, but it was so formal than the picture in her head. He had a nice smile and piercing blue eyes. It was hard to imagine this man being anything but kind and helpful.

Recovering quickly from her surprise, she spoke up extending her hand to shake.

"Rachel Berry, Sir. I am a huge fan of your work. I am a psychology student at Duke and I was here hoping I could convince you to let me study you for my field work. It would be such an honor. I find your views on reductionism quite fascinating and I know if I really want to become the best, I should learn from the best. And that's you, Dr. Taylor." She said as she put on her "crush on teacher" persona. Rachel had done her research during her six hour trek to Charlotte.

The doctor was flattered. She could tell from what she already knew about him and the way he developed swagger as she spoke that his ego was too big to pass up this opportunity to be adored. He had that look about him. The one that screamed God complex from across a room. The receptionist was looking at her with annoyance, but Jennings Taylor? He was looking at her like she was something to eat. Rachel tried not to let her discomfort show, if she had to use his obvious pervert tendency to her advantage, she would.

"Rachel, I am certainly flattered by your assessment of me, however, I do not make it common practice to take on interns."

She showed her disappointment. She could either beg, which would probably work with this guy, but she chose option B, which was a guarantee.

"I understand, you are a very busy man. I was just taking a shot at a dream. Thank you for your time. It was an honor just to meet you. I was wondering, could you sign this for me? No one at school will believe I was able to get in to talk to you." She offered her notebook and he signed, glancing into her sad eyes. She smiled a minxy little smile and thanked him again before turning to go. She put some sway in her hips, not a lot, but apparently enough.

"Ms. Berry?" She stopped, smiled at her own genius and then turned to face him.

"Yes, Dr. Taylor?" she cooed sweetly.

"I guess I could make an exception. I mean, for a fan," he smiled brightly and winked.

Gross.

'Oh! Are you serious? Thank you! Thank you so much!"

"Greta here will get you all ready to go. Can you start tomorrow? 8am?"

"I will be here at 7:30! This is just a dream come true," she saw Greta roll her eyes but ignored it.

"See you then. But, be ready to work."

"Yes, sir. I will." She practically skipped out the door.

"We are so in!" she said as she climbed in next to Finn, giving him a high five.

"Just like that?" he asked through his surprised smile.

"I told you. I know how to get what I want."

"And what is it that you want, Ms. Berry?" he asked suggestively, leaning into her across the seat.

"First, I want to take that sleazy man down. You would not believe how he was leering at me."

Finn bristled. "How do you mean?"

"You know what I mean. But don't worry. He wasn't scary. Just sleazy." She could tell this didn't satisfy him, but continued anyway.

"Then I want your Dad to be seen as a hero who was corrupted by someone he trusted." A warm smile replaced his jealous grimace.

"But, right now..." she leaned in to meet him where he was, "I want to go to our room and continue our lesson on erogenous zones." She smiled devilishly thisclose to his lips.

"Whatever Rachel wants, Rachel gets," and he made like lightning to give her whatever she asked for.


	16. Chapter 16

**The last chapters were written at 30,000 feet but I'm back on the ground now. I hope they filled in quite nicely. I hope you aren't growing tired of our story. There are still plenty of surprises headed your way. Rachel is starting her "internship" and Dr. Taylor is getting a new patient. Here's hoping we get our info quickly... the clock in ticking for Rachel's departure.**

Rachel had been sitting in the office of Dr. Jennings Taylor for almost four hours. She had been given an orientation of sorts through the office, much to the chagrin of his office manager. She was a surly woman who seemed offended that she may have to rise from her rolling throne to do anything for another human being. Thankfully, Dr. Taylor had kept Rachel close to him. Thankful only because it gained her better access because to be perfectly honest the dude really creeped her out. She knew from catching him that he was ogling her most of the time and it was only made worse by the fact that, while in character, she had to act star struck by him. Relief swept through her when around one in the afternoon, she heard the front bell ring, signaling someone had entered and she heard the soothing familiar voice of the person who would become Dr. Taylor's newest patient. Her heart began to pound in her chest. This was it. She only hoped they would be able to pull it off. She became exhilarated at the thought of working as a team with Finn. She was convinced that there was nothing they couldn't do when they joined forces.

She followed the doctor out of his office at his request when he was paged to the front. She tried to hide what was probably the natural reaction to seeing Finn standing there. He glanced at her tilting his head back in gesture of hello and looking away quickly, afraid of giving anything away. She was wearing those damn sexy college clothes again and he beat back the southern blood flow when the image of her little lesson ran across his mind.

"I'm Dr. Jennings Taylor," he extended his hand to Finn, bringing him back to the present.

Rachel noticed his momentary trip out of the present and wondered what had distracted him. Focus Finn, she willed with her thoughts.

"Blaine Warbler," Finn lied smoothly noticing Rachel's head drop into her hand from the corner of his eye. It was the first name that popped into his head when Duke asked him for a good alias. It was Blaine's fake name until everyone found out what his last name actually was. It would suit their purposes and when he got home, Blaine would get a huge kick out of it.

"Well, Mr. Warbler, care to follow me to my office?" The doctor let Rachel lead them back which was a good thing because the less eye contact between them the better. As they entered, Rachel was instructed to get Mr. Warbler a bottled water. She brought it to him and he let his fingers graze hers when he took it, earning a warning glare from her while she caught the hint of a smirk on his face. She sat in the chair next to him.

"Mr. Warbler, this is our new intern, Miss Berry, she is a student at Duke and is allowed to sit in on sessions with patient consent. I assure you she is held to the same rules of confidentiality that I am. If you object, however, she will leave. She is learning to help people by observing. If you do not object, I need your signature before we begin."

Finn took a moment to pretend to think as he looked her over. He took her hand to shake it and saw her tongue dart out quickly to wet her lips.

"Promise to keep all my secrets?" he asked huskily, turning to look into her eyes.

"Yes, Sir," she replied professionally, though with a slightly strained voice and a flush on her cheeks.

She never broke character and smiled appreciatively and gave her thanks when he finally decided to sign.

"Now that we have that out of the way, what brings you here, Blaine?"

Finn shifted in his seat a little and showed his reluctance. "Um... well... I kind of got referred here." Finn handed him some paperwork that Duke had sent that was made to look like a referral from a general practitioner. "My doctor says I'm depressed. I told him I'm fine, but he wanted me to come anyway. I don't know what the big deal is really."

"My patients rarely do," Dr. Taylor said with authority as he read over the papers he had just been handed. "It says here that you joined the army and were medically discharged soon after?"

Finn let his face drop. "Yeah," his answer was short. Cut off. And he was offering no more information. He slumped lower in his seat, arms folded across his chest, legs spread out.

"Could you elaborate for me?" the doctor prodded, Rachel was taking notes.

"It's pretty simple, really, Doc. I joined thinking I could do some good in the world, went to basic, blew out my knee in a training exercise, got sent home, and now I have nothing to offer, but whatever." He finished with an apathetic shrug and a pursing of his lips.

Rachel was thoroughly impressed with this persona Finn had developed. When he was through here, his acting career was a real possibility. She knew he was full of it and she still found herself believing him.

"So, what prompted your doctor to send you to me?"

"Beats the hell out of me. I mean, he thinks I have symptoms of depression but I think he's full of shit."

Rachel's eyes went wide at his use of language. He was really fascinating to watch. And, she couldn't help herself. Finding this other talent was all kinds of hot. He caught her staring and winked at her with a smirk. He figured it might be something his character would do. A thrill went through him when he saw her uncross and recross her legs, squirming a little and grinning before returning to her legal pad. Dr. Taylor noticed the exchange, but it never occurred to him that these were two people in a love so deep they would risk everything for the other. He cleared his throat.

"Well, given the notes here in your medical records, I may agree. I won't know until I talk to you for awhile, ask you some questions. The good news is, I have some space available for a new patient. If you are willing, I think I can be of some help for you. I happen to have a military background," Finn stiffened a little and it would have taken someone as close to him as Rachel to notice and she did. She moved her foot until it touched his, offering what little support she could. She just wanted to remind him that she was on his team. "So, I may have some insight into your situation." Finn took the opportunity to prod a little.

"Military, huh? What branch?"

"United States Army. Served in the gulf the first time. I saw a lot of men taken down by the stress of military experiences. It can be a destructive force. I was glad to serve the men and women and help them heal."

It took every ounce of restraint in Finn's body not to jump across the desk and throttle the man. He was clenching and unclenching his fists, feeling the unspoken calm emanating from the tiny brunette sitting beside him. Deep breaths, he could hear her say.

"I'm noticing you have a strong reaction to talk of the military," the doctor said, blind to the force driving his new patient and the true origin of his angry fidgeting.

"You could say that," Finn said through gritted teeth.

"It says here that you are suffering from some insomnia."

"Yeah. I don't sleep much at all. Can't get my body to shut down."

"Well, I'll tell you what. I'm going to go ahead and get you started on a drug regimen to help that."

Wow. That easy.

Rachel took her chance to ask a question. "So, Dr. Taylor, it's alright to prescribe medication based on another doctor's assessment and a patient's complaint?"

"Yes, Miss Berry, see, when you get to the point of knowledge that I have experienced, you have a good sense about these things. Good question," he commended.

"Can I ask Mr.- Warbler- a question?" she asked permission.

"If it's alright with him," the doctor said.

"Sure. Shoot," Finn said to her raising an eyebrow and jutting his chin out toward her.

"This insomnia you speak of. Are you having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep?"

"Both. Depends."

"On?"

"Well, if my thoughts are racing before I fall asleep I can't let myself relax. Sometimes, it's the dreams that wake me up and I can't go back." He got a far away look in his eyes.

"If you don't mind my asking, what kinds of dreams do you have?"

"People needing me and me not being able to help them mostly," he said quietly.

Dr. Taylor watched this exchange, impressed that Rachel was able to draw this from this young man in such a small amount of time. He took notes as the young man spoke. But, there was something so familiar about him, he couldn't help but stare a little. Jennings was having trouble placing the familiarity, but he suddenly felt as if he had met Blaine before. He knew it was impossible, but still.

"Thank you for allowing me to pick around your brain a little," she said shyly.

"Wasn't so bad when you did it," Finn answered with a flirtatious smile. "Alright, doc, when do I need to come back?"

"Let's start tomorrow. Here is your prescription and I want you to begin taking this as soon as you get home. Rachel will see you out and get your appointment set up for tomorrow."

Finn stood and offered his hand. The doctor took it and Finn made a point of squeezing a little too hard.

He felt a small hand on his back beginning to guide him out the office door. They carried on their charade and Finn left the office building giving her a warning glance of caution and receiving a reassuring one to let him know she had this.

Returning to the office of the evil Dr. Taylor, she wanted to pry a little.

"Do you think that guy is really depressed?"

"Hard to know until I speak with him some more. But, he shows some of the classic signs." He assessed her decisively. "He seemed to take a liking to you."

"I suppose," she shrugged it off.

"You have to be careful about getting personally involved with patients. It is definitely an ethics issue. And you are a beautiful girl, it will be a problem for you at times."

His compliment unsettled her a bit, but she trudged on. "I suppose ethical issues are a large part of the stress of this job," she noted.

"Yes. And I wish I could say I have always made ethical decisions. I do my best, but I have always learned lessons from letting my ethics slip."

"If you don't mind my asking, what kinds of things have you run into? I must admit it is a great fear of mine given all the law suits and the warnings issued by my professors."

"I don't mind at all. I have maybe gone overboard to help patients before. Having medical expertise and resources available can become power. It is something you always have to be aware of."

"Thank you for being so frank with me, Dr. Taylor. I am thrilled at the edge I am gaining over my peers just by being here. I noticed you were quick to give medication as a solution. How do you know what patients need and when to give it? I know we, as professionals, have the ability to give medications to help, but many of those medications carry a high addiction risk. How do you help them avoid that complication?"

It was the first question she had asked since she met him that made him pause for thought. He tended to carry enough arrogance that his answers came rapidly, not feeling the need to think about them, going on the assumption that there was nothing he didn't already know. But, this threw him a bit and she could see him really trying to formulate a response. He was serious, not suspicious.

"Miss Berry, sometimes you have to understand that we give the help, but cannot be responsible for the way that help is abused. However, when someone becomes dependent on the drugs we prescribe, we keep them as patients longer, thereby giving us more opportunity to help as we try to ween them off of them."

"And more money as well," she said, knowing she was possibly out of line, but not out of character for an ambitious young student.

He narrowed his eyes at her brazenness, but then softened into something resembling respect.

"You are starting to think like a shrink alright."

She tried to disguise her disgust at his lack of remorse for his admission. He had no scruples, he all but just confessed to it, and even encouraged it in her. She was appalled. But, it occurred to her that his arrogance would be his undoing and it might be easier than she thought.

"Thank you," she offered dryly. "I believe my time here is up. See you in the morning?"

"I look forward to it," he said, giving her a chill. She simply nodded as she gathered her things and exited the building. She shivered when she got outside, trying to shake off the last hour of her day. She saw her knight on his white horse parked in the lot next door and picked up speed to get to him. When she climbed in, he drove quickly around the corner as not to be seen and parked. He hadn't even gotten the truck stopped completely when she threw herself around him, holding onto him tightly.

"Whoa, hey babe. You OK?" He held her with both arms and pressed his cheek into the side of her head.

"No, Finn. That man is evil. And I don't like the way he looks at me. The only time I felt safe in there today was when you were there."

"Rachel, look, maybe we can find another way." He pulled her back to look at him. "I don't want you to feel this way." He was concerned now. He didn't like the thought of her being fearful all day.

She shook her head frantically. "No. We are doing this. I'm Ok, really. I can handle it- I just- he is- I don't like him. But, I think I got somewhere after you left. You were brilliant in there by the way." She was beginning to feel herself calming down just being in his presence. She was overreacting and Finn's performance had her unsettled. She didn't like the anti-Finn version of him she saw in there.

"You think he bought it?"

"Oh, absolutely. And, he admitted to unethical decisions in the past."

"What?" he said loudly in shock.

"Uh Huh. This will be easier than we thought. He said that shrinks hold power. That addiction just drums up business. Well, those weren't his exact words, but the basics of what he meant."

"You are amazing. I don't know how to thank you, Rachel. I want you to know that I am never far from you. I stayed around the building all day. You can text me and I will be right there, but if you are uncomfortable-"

She leaned forward to kiss him. "I know you won't let anything happen to me. Dr. Taylor just makes me feel like I need a shower."

"Well, then, let's get you to one. We can order a pizza and rent movies. Let's just put the day aside and concentrate on being together. You are going to be leaving soon and I don't Dr. Doom to consume all of our free time. I want to hold you in your pajamas and feel you in my arms." She smiled at him lovingly. "And if that leads to us making out, I'm not against it." She laughed out loud and he dodged her tiny hand as it moved to slap him playfully. He threw the truck in drive and slid his arm around her shoulders. She nestled into his body and felt so loved and so protected. That doctor might be a jerk, but their plan was working. And, Finn was right, they needed to separate their mission from their alone time.

When they got back to their room, she went immediately into the shower. He ordered pizza while he waited for her and got the movies ready. The pizza arrived before she emerged, fresh faced, in cuddly pj's and smelling like cookies and fruit. They piled up in the middle of the bed to eat. And when it was time to settle in for the movie, he pulled her close to him, propped up on tons of pillows and turned the lights off. The movie was funny and they shared laughs and commentary. As they both focused on the screen, he leaned his face down to murmur against her forehead, "Do you have any idea how much I love you?"

"I have an inkling," she kidded.

"Everything is just so much more when you are around."

"More what?"

"Just- more." He snuggled her closer and she smiled against his t shirt.

"I love you, too," she whispered and lifted her face to kiss his chin.

"Is this gonna lead to making out?" he asked suggestively.

"Maybe."

"Awesome," he said giddily before bringing his lips to hers.

The best part was that they didn't get out of control. It wasn't about an aching need or some dirty desire. It was about being close. She loved that he could just kiss her and hold her and not have to have it go too far. There was something sweet in the fact that sometimes the closeness was enough. Not to say that making out didn't cause some heated feelings, but that when he pulled back and settled her against his chest to sleep, he was showing her pure love. It was why she was willing to do anything for him. He loved her and would always take care of her. She wanted to do the same for him. They drifted with the TV still casting its glow into the room. He held her as tightly as he could and she fisted his shirt in her fingers. Before she finally fell asleep, the thought occurred to her thatshe was pretty sure this was what made them a better team than Batman and Robin.

**Reviews make me happy and happy writers make for faster updates! Just teasing... but I do appreciate them! You guys are the BEST!**


	17. Chapter 17

**I can't believe I'm up to chapter 17! That is incredible. I just started this to help me get over the finale and now it's taken on a life of its own. It's because you guys have been so awesome and encouraging! I smell a huge breakthrough coming on in this chapter!**

It was just after lunch when Rachel looked up to see Finn walk through the door. She was the only one working out front at the moment because the office manager was taking the afternoon off to redeem a spa gift certificate some place. Rachel stopped listening at bikini wax, but all that mattered was she wouldn't be back. Meeting his eye, he winked at her and she felt a little bit of lust and more so, relief wash over her. Dr. McCreepy hadn't been overtly sexual with her or anything, but she could tell he found her attractive. It was the way he watched her that got under her skin. But, with Finn here, she knew nothing could hurt her.

"Mr. Warbler," she still fought a chuckle when she said it, "It's good to see you again."

"Just Blaine," he said with a smirk.

"Ok. Blaine," she said with a roll of her eyes. "I'll walk you right back." She spoke more loudly than necessary as to announce their presence.

Walking in front of him down the narrow hallway, she felt his hand slide across her butt, stopping at her hip for a squeeze. She slapped his hand away and fired a warning glance. "Are you crazy?" she hissed.

"Just having a little fun," he bent down over her shoulder from behind to whisper back. "And your butt looks amazing in that skirt." She reached her hand up and behind her as she continued walking to push his face away and heard him snicker at her, kissing her palm before she took it away.

She stopped at the doctor's office door, turned to face him on one heel with narrowed eyes and stuck her index finger in his face with some authority, saying with silence what she couldn't say out loud. She stepped aside as she opened the dark wooden door, letting him enter first. He was still biting back the grin on his bottom lip when Jennings looked up from the file in front of him.

"Blaine... so glad you returned." He stood and reached across his mahogany desk to shake Finn's hand and indicated for him to sit with a nod of his head. Finn still got a shiver when he had to touch the dude without punching him in the face but he knew the outcome was bound to be worth it.

"Dr. Taylor, I think I am going to sit this one out today. I am going to be reviewing old cases of yours today to see what genius I can soak up. And I'm sure Mr. Warbler wouldn't mind some extra privacy."

"Sure, Miss Berry, there is much to be learned and no better place then through the stories of the people themselves," he smiled at her warmly and she looked back at Finn to give him the silent message to stall.

It was what they had gone over last night. The office nazi would be out for the rest of the afternoon and the doctor would be busy with Finn. That left her an open filing cabinet and time to do a little research. She excused herself and closed the door, almost torn because she would love to see what Finn was going to come up with today.

Stepping behind the counter she began working her way through the files in the cabinet. It wasn't like she thought there would actually be anything about Christopher in such an obvious and accessible location, but she didn't really know where else to start. She started reading names, not actual information, because she wasn't really supposed to see any of it and she wanted to respect the privacy of those who had trusted their problems to the doctor. The office was tiny and there weren't that many places to search so it didn't take her long to finish going through all the drawers, finding nothing out of the ordinary or anything that raised a red flag. She was just closing the last one when she heard Finn's voice getting closer. She straightened up quickly and tried to appear as if she were just reading.

"Sometimes it just helps. Thanks for agreeing to it, I know it must sound, well, crazy," Finn laughed at the intended irony of his statement.

"I believe it is important to follow the patients natural comfortability. If you feel that you can relax better by talking outside, I want to follow that instinct. Rachel, Blaine and I will be finishing our session outside just under the trees. Please take messages while I'm out." He was leading the way and didn't see Finn turn back over his shoulder, hands shoved deep in his pockets, and waggle his eyebrows at her.

My fiance is a freaking genius, she thought to herself before wasting no more time running to the office of Dr. Jennings Taylor. It was dark in theme. She assumed that was for a calming effect. His desk was ornate and there was a stereotypical dark brown leather couch situated next to a comfortable chair. Degrees and commendations decorated the walls, all hung very precisely. There were filing cabinets in the front left corner of the room. They were all locked, needing keys to be opened. Luckily, Rachel had been paying attention and knew where the keys were. She walked over and pulled the ficus tree aside, revealing a key hook. With one last look around out of paranoia, she opened the first cabinet in the far left corner behind the doctor's desk. The patient files in this cabinet were all in different colored folders. There was no way to know what color coding system was being used, but they weren't the same manila files from the front office. Moving down a drawer, she found the same thing, and in the remaining drawers as well. She scanned them with her eyes as she rifled her fingers through them quickly, unsure of how much time Finn could buy her. Not finding anything that struck her eye, she locked it back up and moved to the next one. She repeated her previous actions and was about to move on to the last drawer when something jumped out at her. It was a thick file, labeled only with a number. The date was 1992 and it was stamped Fort Benning. There were several like that in the back of this drawer, each with a different number, all were army green. Her heart jumped to her throat as she realized what a huge find this was. Any of these could be Finn's Dad.

"You made some real progress out there," the voice of Jennings Taylor filtered through the vent.

Damn! She tried very hard not to panic.

"You think so? I didn't even know I felt some of that stuff. I didn't think it would be that easy to _**get out**_," his voice rose on the last two words, trying to give Rachel a heads up.

She frantically put everything back the way it was, locking the cabinet and getting the keys on the hook and sitting back behind the desk of the doctor pretending to review "Blaine's" file. The two men entered the office and she offered them both a welcoming smile. She was trying to gauge Dr. Taylor's reaction. Finn assured her with his eyes that everything was fine.

"I was just going over your case, Blaine. I hope you don't mind."

"I've always been an open book for pretty girls," he said with a small shrug. She smiled up at him shyly and said thank you. "So, what do you think? Am I totally nuts?"

"Not totally," she replied and they laughed.

The doctor stood looking between them, assessing the situation. Fraternizing with patients was a dangerous prospect. He made a mental note to keep an eye on them. While there was nothing wrong with some harmless flirting, it didn't need to go any further. "Well, Blaine, I will see you around the same time tomorrow?"

"Sure, Doc." His eyes were still trained on Rachel.

"By the way, how did those pills work for you last night?"

"Oh, like a charm. Yeah. Slept like a rock and I felt great this morning. Gonna try it again tonight. Hey- I was going to ask you. Can I , like, get addicted to it and stuff? I have read about that kind of thing."

"There is really nothing to worry about. Your dosage isn't high and as long as you are sleeping, that's what matters right now. I won't let you form an addiction."

This was a little harder for Finn than he thought. He had to wonder, did his Dad ask the same question and get the same answer?

"OK. I trust you, I guess," Finn said with such sincerity that it made Taylor shift his weight a little. That's the thing about the untrustworthy, they get uncomfortable when they gain trust. They know it is misplaced. And, unless they are complete sociopaths, guilt is sure to surface.

Finn turned to go, giving Rachel a nod. She felt the tension rising back up inside just knowing he was no longer going to be in the building. And she was about to burst knowing there was something up with the files sitting not even eight feet away.

"So, did he do well today?" she asked nonchalantly.

"He did. He did." Jennings was nodding thoughtfully. "I still can't shake the feeling I have met that young man before. Do you ever feel that way about people? You know you have never met them, but they just seem so familiar?"

Reign it in, Rachel. She cleared her throat lightly. "Yes. It always makes me a bit uneasy, honestly." He simply nodded.

"So... what's his story?" she asked, genuinely curious to know what Finn had come up with as a back story. It was the assignment she had left him for the morning when she got out of the truck.

"He grew up in a small town. Raised by a single mother. Dad was military, but left them when he was a child. He never quite got past it. He's always felt like it was his fault and he decided to join up himself thinking he could do some good. He was injured and sent home and now he is just a little lost. I don't know that I agree with a clinical depression diagnosis, but I do think he needs some emotional support."

Wow. What a stretch, Finn, she thought. But, it did sound like the kind of thing that sent weaker people into therapy. Changing to an abandonment story was a good move. Interesting. But, even more interesting could be what was under lock and key and she needed to get with her partner in crime to figure out how they were going to get to it.

"I'm glad he has you to talk to," she offered. "Um, Dr. Taylor? Since he was your last patient of the day, I was wondering if you would be closing up for the day or if we would be staying."

"I think I am going to try to hit the golf course before dark. It's the professional thing to do, don't you think?" he joked. If this guy wasn't a manipulative liar, he would be kind of fun to be around.

"I think so," she agreed in an over the top effort.

"Why don't you go ahead? I'll close up here."

"Thanks, Dr. Taylor."

"Please... call me Jennings. We are colleagues now, after all."

Rachel simply nodded before turning to walk out the door.

That night at the hotel, Rachel filled Finn in on her findings.

"That's crazy, Rach. What do you think they are?"

"I don't know. I know they were military files, but I didn't get the chance to really look at them. There were no names on the outside. Only numbers." She paused , shaking her head. "Finn, I just know it's in there. I do." She paced in frustration.

"Well, then, tomorrow, I'll distract him again and you can find out for sure." He was talking with his mouth full, sneaking in a meal as they worked.

She stared at him adoringly for a second. "You were kind of brilliant today just so you know. How did you know to get him out of his office?"

"He had all those filing cabinets in there and I thought you could use access. You know? For a well known expert in his field he sure was easy to play." He was proud of himself. Everything he did today, was all his thinking. He went back to his sandwich.

"I guess he was. I was really proud of you. And if I could have just had like 10 more minutes we could have possibly had a lead or proof or something. But, now it's going to be a whole other day and my time here is running out. What are you going to do when I'm gone? Will you just keep going to see him?"

"I don't think we should get too far ahead of ourselves. Let's just focus on one thing at a time."

"I know. We are just so close it's hard for me to calm down." He was smiling at her. "What?"

He brushed his hands together, knocking crumbs to the floor and wiping his mouth with a napkin as he stood. He took a long drink of water and and walked over to her slowly. She was still standing there waiting for an answer. It came in the form of his hands cradling her face. "You are adorable," he said before he brought his lips down to hers. Her hands instinctively clasped around his wrists. He ended his kiss and stood up to full height, not moving his hands, and neither did she. "You are a tiny little force to be reckoned with."

"And don't you forget it," she said flirtatiously.

"Don't worry. It's not something I could ever forget."

She beamed and reached up on her tiptoes to press a kiss to his lips. They shared a moment before she was back to business.

"So, what's the plan for tomorrow?" she asked brightly.

He dropped his hands to his sides in defeat. Not even his romantic advances could deter her when she was on the war path.

"We have to find way for you to get back in there with those files. I mean, I guess I could try to get him outside again, but what about the shrew behind the counter?"

"What time is your appointment?" she asked, obviously having an idea.

"1:00. Why?" He walked backward to sit on the bed, leading her by the hand to sit with him.

"I will just have to stall her lunch time. She will be livid, but it really is the only way. I'll just make it to where she can't leave on time."

"Brave soul," he said with mock admiration.

"Tell me about it. So, what are you going to talk about tomorrow? He told me your back story. Such creativity, Finn, how ever did you come up with something so far fetched?"

"Easy now... I put a lot of thought into that. Tell me my life couldn't possibly lead someone into depression. Just wait until I drop the baby gate bomb." He pursed his lips, cocked an eyebrow and nodded with bravado.

"Finn! You shouldn't speak so lightly of something that I know still bothers you."

He looked into her eyes for a beat. She was dead serious. "How do you know it still bothers me?"

She tilted her head and gave him a comforting smile. "It's me, remember? I know you. I see you when we pass baby girls in the grocery store. And, I was there. I know how much you loved your baby. And, because you didn't have your Dad I know what you were willing to give her. What you were willing to sacrifice for her." He knew she meant herself and she noticed his jaw clench a little as he stared out into the room and reached out with her fingertips to soothe it, his eyes darting to meet hers. "And, it makes me so happy to know that our babies will get you for a Dad."

"Thank God you are mine," he shook his head and leaned over slowly to kiss her intensely.

She didn't know the exact moment she gave up talking about their master plan and got totally lost in him. It could've been when she felt his tongue graze hers or it could've been when his wet lips found her sweet spot just under her jaw line. Maybe it was when his large hand found it's way to her breast. But, in either case, she eventually found herself underneath him, embracing him, tasting him, trying to touch every inch of skin she could as their bodies came together in the most intimate of connections. She looked into his eyes, darkened by his passion and marveled at the expressions crossing his face. She took in the veins in his forearms and the muscles that had tightened as he braced himself against the head board. She listened to the pattern of his breathing and the low moans and near growls he was emitting and as their rhythm accelerated those sounds are what ultimately pushed her into the stratosphere and he followed shortly after.

They lay in the quiet stillness of their room. They were facing each other as close as they could possibly be and he had one hand lazily playing with her hair. She reached up and took his hand in hers, kissing each finger before linking their fingers and pulling their hands to rest under her cheek. Their eyes drifted closed and then open until they both gave in.

When the alarm sounded and sunlight broke through, she was snuggled against his chest and he was holding her like a child holds a teddy bear. She tilted her chin up and kissed his chin, wiggling her hands free to touch his stubbly cheek.

"Wake up," she purred. She giggled when he didn't even flinch.

She wiggled free a little more and tucked her face into his neck to begin kissing a trail to his chest.

"Wake up, Finn," she said silkily. He stirred slightly, smiling lazily still in a sleeping state.

This was going to be one of those mornings. She sneaked her hand down his chest, past his belly and firmly grasped what was obviously awake before it's owner. His eyes shot open with a moan escaping.

"Good morning, Sunshine," she quipped before laughing out loud. "Is THAT all it takes to wake you up? And here I've been wasting so much time and energy."

He chuckled as he pressed it into her, never opening his eyes. "You are going to have to apologize to him, I hope you know that. Because getting his hopes up only to have them come crashing down is just plain hurtful." He opened one eye to catch her expression. It was not what he expected.

"Who said they would come crashing down? There is room in that shower for two," and she crawled over him seductively taking the sheet with her and disappeared into the bathroom. His eyes shifted back and forth and he made tracks to follow her.

They sat outside the office, finishing their coffee and breakfast. They reviewed their new plan and before she got out, he took her hand.

"Hey, Rach? I didn't get the chance to say this last night. Or this morning," he grinned almost shyly. "But having you just know things about me without me having to say them out loud is really cool. I really like having you inside my head and my heart. And, I just, you know, wanted you to know how much it means to me that you think about things that bother me and stuff. And you always help me out and I hope I get enough chances to do the same for you. So, thank you. I love you a lot."

"I love you,too. And, it's you and me, Finn. We are a team. Taking care of each other is just comes with the territory." She gave him a quick kiss before heading back to "work."

Her morning consisted of sitting in on two sessions. There weren't many patients that would sign the waiver. She felt very awkward having privileged information on strangers, but she knew in her heart that they really could trust her and she had to carry on her charade. Just before noon, which was normally lunch time for Greta, Rachel came up with a brilliant way to stall for time. She had been reading through old patient files that she pulled from the cabinets. Greta was a stickler for organization. The papers in those files still looked like they had been pressed with an iron and the folders were kept in perfect chronological order at all times. So, when Rachel "tripped" while carrying a stack of about 30, sending papers flying, she worried for a brief moment that the woman with the tight bun was going to have a light stroke. She grasped her chest and Rachel could tell she stopped breathing.

"Oh my God, Greta! I am so sorry." She crouched down to begin picking them up and her hands were pushed away quite roughly almost causing her to fall backward.

"Just. Move." Greta's voice was almost sinister and her glare was twice as deadly.

"Are you sure you don't want me to help you? I feel just awful."

"Just. Move," the woman repeated.

Rachel took four steps backward before turning with a mischievous grin melting onto her face.

Just as planned, it took the whole hour for Greta to get things back in order the way she liked them. She grumbled something about idiot college girl... so smart... total clutz... before charging out the door just before 1:00. She nearly plowed Finn down on her way out because they met in the door way. He got out of her way out of pure survival instinct and her car door slamming could be heard three counties over. As well as the roar of her engine. Finn turned to look at Rachel with both eyebrows raised.

"I take it you were successful?" he choked back a laugh.

"Yeah. I'm gonna pay for that one for awhile. Good thing I won't be here long."

"Ready?" he breathed as he got closer to her.

"Let's do this," she said offering her fist for a bump.

Just like they planned, Finn convinced the doctor to take him outside for their session. Rachel made haste getting back to the files. She combed through all the ones from Fort Benning when half way through the stack, File #8298651182 proved to be the gold. On top was a patient summary that was clipped to a 4x6 military id photo of one Christopher Hudson. Chill bumps travelled down her body and for reasons she couldn't explain, tears filled her eyes. She clutched it to her chest and quickly closed the drawer. A kink in her plan presented itself. How was she going to get it out of here? Just then, she heard the two men approaching. Her eyes darted around the room in a panic when they landed on something sitting on the patient couch. Finn's backpack. And here everyone thought she was the smart one. She ran to shove it in and had her hand still inside when the door opened and she turned, bag in hand to find them staring at her. Finn in horror, Dr. Jennings in shocked outrage.

"Miss Berry, what the hell are you doing with this young man's personal belongings?"

She pulled her hand out and held the bag to her chest. Her throat closed and she swallowed thickly. She was looking at Finn with scared wide eyes when she had a moment of pure genius. Dropping the bag back on the couch, she put her face in her hands.

"I am so embarrassed," she cried. When she looked back up, tears were streaming down her face. That never ceased to amaze Finn. One second- nothing. The next? Water works. Damn she was good. "OK... I was putting my phone number in there so he would find it later." She dropped her head in a shameful way, taking a moment before returning her eyes to the two men still staring at her. "I know is is completely unprofessional and I apologize to you both, but I have developed somewhat of a crush on Blaine, here, and I thought I would take a chance. I understand if you, Blaine, are mortified. And Dr. Taylor, I understand if you throw me out of here. I didn't intend to disgrace your reputation and I know that patient/doctor relations are prohibited, but I didn't know about intern rules."

The thing about Rachel was that when she talked as speedily as she just did, no amount of training and intelligence could pick through it.

"It's OK," Finn spoke first. "I mean. It's kind of cute, actually. And I would be lying if I said I didn't have a little crush on you, too. I was probably going to ask you out when my sessions were done, so don't worry about it." He grinned an earth shattering grin.

The doctor did not. He was studying her closely, almost like one would ponder a science experiment. "This was highly unethical behavior. But, I understand young hormones and urges. I have noticed the way you two look at one another and though I certainly do not approve of this breach of boundaries, I have never specifically stated the rules of conduct for an intern working for me. I trust that you both understand nothing can come of this until Mr. Warbler is discharged from my care?"

Nods from both the guilty parties.

"Then, I will take no further action. And, Miss Berry, I'm afraid from now on, access to 's files will no longer be granted to you and I am going to have to ask that you sit out of all of his sessions?"

"Yes sir."

"Then, let's just put this past us and move on. Blaine, same time tomorrow."

Finn grabbed his backpack and went to leave but turned to Rachel first. "Hey... no hard feelings. I meant what I said. Maybe when the Doc says I'm not crazy anymore I can take you out."

"You aren't crazy. Just a little lost, but I think you are very close to finding your way" she hinted.

He gave her a nod and left.

Rachel turned to apologize but was cut off by Dr. Taylor.

"I trust we will have no further problems," he said smoothly as he advanced toward her and it made her take a step back.

"No, Sir," she said meekly fighting every instinct to bolt. When she heard Greta enter the front office, she couldn't believe she was so relieved. She quickly exited the room, stopping just outside to rid herself of the uneasy feeling Jennings had left her with.

The rest of the day passed in a hurry and she was back at the hotel with Finn before she knew it. he had refused to tell her what he saw in the file until they got inside their room. The door had barely closed behind her when he turned from the center of the room, a beaming smile falling onto his beautiful face.

"We got him, Rach. We got him."

**Halle-freaking-lujah, right? Please review. I am so thankful for those of you who faithfully let me know how I am doing! I hope people are still reading this! The next chapter will be a doozy and I still have a surprise or two planned! Again, thank you so much for your support!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Justice is served! Wanna know how? Keep Reading! I'm so excited!**

"It's all there, Rachel. The sessions, the prescriptions, the notes. There are letters from the drug manufacturer's rep thanking him for his outstanding participation in their incentive program," the last part came out with a twinge of bitterness, but it was mostly hidden by jubilation.

Rachel sat in the middle of the bed with the file in her lap shaking her head in wonder. This was really damning evidence. How had the military not seen this?

"So, Dr. Taylor was receiving what, payment, gifts, for pushing these drugs?"

"It looks like it, yeah." Finn couldn't sit still. Hell, he couldn't sit down. He had, in his very possession, the proof he needed to at least cast suspicion on the doctor. He was just wandering in excited circles around the room. She couldn't help but smile at his demeanor, but she also had to be the logic. They wouldn't be wise to get ahead of themselves.

"Finn, this is just what you need, but let's really look at what we know and how all of this fits in. Where's the binder?"

Finn dug through his suitcase and pulled out the binder they had been keeping with their notes and timelines in it. She turned to the section where they had written down Duke's account of what happened with the dirty doctor. He had told them that he was given sleeping pills.

"Finn, where is that bottle of pills?" He dug those out and gave them to her, too. She looked back in the file to find the prescriptions. Same drug. "These are the same drugs he gave your Dad."

Finn sat down beside her slowly. "OK." He was trying to process now.

"Duke told us that your Dad confronted him and wanted help and Dr. Taylor turned him in for stealing the drugs, right?"

"Yeah."

"That's it, Finn. This is really all we need. There are signed prescriptions with dates. Have you read everything in this file?"

"Not yet. Kind of stopped at prescriptions and those letters."

"I wonder if there is anything in here about your Dad asking for help. Maybe the doctor documented it and then decided to lie."

"I can't believe he still has this. You would think he would burn it."

"Unless he's keeping it for a trophy. Finn, seriously. This guy has a God complex in the highest form. I am not surprised he kept this just to prove what he was capable of getting away with. Oh my God. I bet the other army files are the same type of thing. Do you think there are other people that he has done this to?"

"Probably. Rachel, I didn't even think about that. We could be helping other soldiers and their families at the same time."

"Pretty heroic if you ask me, Mr. Hudson. I am so proud of you." Her face held a look of sheer adoration

"Look, this wouldn't have happened without you." He spoke softly. It was one of his tones that sent her stomach into quivers. But she wasn't going to let him down play his accomplishment.

"Finn, it's not the planning and the actual action that holds the heroism. Don't you see? The heroism is in the thought. It's in the initiative. You are the one who was hellbent on redeeming your father. It's your tenacity and determination that did this. I just helped you along the way with my brilliance."

"I don't know what some of those words mean," they both chuckled, "but I know without a doubt that when I win this battle, you were my secret weapon." He clasped her hand in his.

"Of mass destruction," she threw in grinning wildly.

"Totally," he said and leaned in to kiss her. She smiled back at him and he stole another quick kiss.

"So, I think our next move is to call Duke and tell him what we know. He will know how to proceed from there. Finn, this is actually going to happen. I mean, I don't even pretend to know what happens after this, but I do know that Dr. Jennings Taylor is about to get the surprise of his life."

"And I want to be the one who delivers it. It has to be good. I want him to know what he's done. It's gotta be big."

"Well, lucky for you, you are marrying the queen of going big or going home. Let the drama commence!"

He furrowed his brow. "Start, Finn. Let the drama start."

Understanding dawned on his face and he formed a silly one sided grin. "Oh."

She couldn't resist her giggle or the urge to tackle him back onto the bad and kiss him for his precious cluelessness. She did, however, quickly stop the monkey business and got started on the showdown business. First order of business: call Sergeant Duke Collins.

To their surprise, Duke caught the next flight out of Columbus and Finn and Rachel met him at the airport and took him back to their hotel. They showed him the file Rachel had found and he studied it carefully making sure it was enough to "take the sorry bastard down," as Duke so eloquently put it.

Finn and Rachel sat staring with anticipation while Duke reviewed the file in his hands. He was deathly quiet. He was serious. Engrossed in thought. After what seemed like a lifetime, he finally looked up and pursed his lips.

"Kid. Ya done good." a slow grin crept across his hard face. Finn and Rachel both gasped in relief and couldn't contain their giddiness.

Rachel worried that it couldn't be used in court because she took it. But, since she was technically a employee that had been given access, it was totally legal. He asked about the other files and Rachel told him they were all just like this one, but she didn't know what was in them. Duke said she didn't have to because after the military got their hands on this one, there would be a complete search and seizure. The next step, he said, was to try to get the doctor to admit as much as they could. He had already contacted military police and the justice department. They were sending people to be there to take him in. They were also sending a military lawyer for Finn. After that, there would be interviews and court dates. Rachel would have to fly in at some point to testify and Finn wouldn't leave until it was completed and he got what he came for. Well, close enough anyway.

"Not many people would go through this kind of trouble for someone they've never met," Duke said.

"It's my Dad, you know? I mean, I know there's no way to get an honorable discharge, but-"

"What are you talking about, Son? That's exactly what you're gonna get."

Finn and Rachel shared matching expressions of bewilderment. They looked at each other. They looked back at Duke. Eyes wide. Jaws dropped. Heads shaking. Confusion was not a strong enough word for what they were feeling.

"But- I read- I know that... It's been over 15 years. They sent me a letter saying it had been too long." Finn struggled against what he had just been told and what he thought was a fact.

"But, that's without proof that there was a mistake or miscarriage of justice. I would say a case determined on a total lie would fall in that category. Now, it could take a year or more, but we will be filing an appeal with the Board of Correction. Son, I believe with all my heart that you are going to walk away from all of this with honorable discharge papers in your hands."

Finn's breathing was a a challenge. He stood slowly, swallowing hard. His eyes were narrowed and his steps were slow. He made it across the room and turned with his eyes focused on the floor. He blinked rapidly and a wide variety of expressions crossed his face, disbelief being the most frequent. He licked his lips and Rachel could see his chest all but heaving. Then he got still. Very, very still. His face lifted slowly and when his eyes met hers, his face exploded into the biggest, brightest smile she had ever seen on it. She returned a smile of the same intensity and jumped to her feet and ran to him, planing her hands on his shoulders and hoisting herself to wrap her legs around his waist. She hugged his neck and he spun her around while they both half laughed half screamed.

"Did you hear that? Did I hear that?" he looked up at her from where he held her higher than his eyes.

"You heard it, Babe. You're getting your dream. Finn, I am so happy for you." She cradled his face and brought her nose down to his before squealing and being spun around again. When the spinning stopped, she kissed him. Hard.

A throat cleared. Their heads turned to see a soldier grinning slyly from ear to ear. Rachel let herself drop and Finn walked with long steps over to embrace the man.

"Thanks, Duke." When the mandatory dude back slapping was completed, Finn stepped away.

"Thank you, Finn. From me. And your Dad."

The reminder that his Dad was still alive cut Finn's heart a little, but he knew he couldn't focus on any of that right now because he had a job to finish. So he just smiled softly, biting the inside of his bottom lip and nodded in acknowledgement.

"So, now we need to plan how this is all going to go down," Duke said.

"Actually, Rachel has that covered." Finn smiled slyly.

Duke pursed his lips and tilted his head. "Why do I have a feeling this is going to be a bigger production than it needs to be?" he asked dryly.

"Because, apparently, Sgt. Duke Collins, you are a very fast learner." Rachel gave him her award deserving smile and he sighed heavily, partly dreading what was coming next and partly more intrigued than he cared to admit.

Rachel went to work like normal the next day. It was Friday and she was leaving for New York in exactly a week. Duke had told her that until the military back up arrived, she should go on like everything was normal. Finn, too. But, it was still a good time to put Finn's part into action. So, at 1:00 that afternoon when the front bell rang, Rachel's stomach butterflies began. She and Finn exchanged conspiratory glances and she walked him back, squeezing his hand behind her back all the way to the door. They had spent the evening trying to prepare Finn to keep his cool. Not an easy task for Finn, but critical to their mission.

"Ah, young Mr. Warbler. How are things today?" Jennings gave Rachel the warning look that reminded her she could no longer be in the room during "Blaine's" sessions. She feigned her humility and acceptance of the silent reprimand and closed the door behind her, leaning against it and whispering, "you can do this, Finn."

Once Rachel had left the room, Finn felt more tense. But, he knew how much was riding on his performance today and he wasn't going to come this far to blow it. Sure, he could just let the military do their thing, but he wanted more satisfaction out of it than that.

"Again, how are things?" The doctor smiled serenely before sitting in the office chair next to Finn.

Show time.

"Gettting better, Doc. Thanks. Except, I'm kind of out of those pills you gave me. They are totally helping me, but I don't want to run out. Can I , maybe, get some more?"

"Of course. Let me get that prescription for you right now."

Finn had to reign in his fury at how easy that was.

"Hey, I was wondering... I kind of get the shakes and feel, like, really cranky when that stuff wear off. I'm not getting addicted am I?"

The doctor looked up from his prescription pad and smiled condescendingly. "No. You shouldn't let yourself worry about that. I told you I wouldn't let that happen. You are probably just showing physical symptoms of your emotional health deficit." He tore off the prescription and handed it to Finn. "You will be fine. Trust me."

All of Finn's restraint was used to keep from punching the guy in the face. "Ok. Whatever you say. You're the doctor."

"Now, yesterday you were telling me that your Dad left. Why don't you tell me more."

"OK... Uh... well... that's kind of why I am freaked out about getting addicted to this stuff," he said, flashing the script he still had in his hand. "My Dad was an addict. He left us because of it and I never saw him again."

"How does that make you feel?"

"It sucks. I've kind of always felt like I wasn't enough to make him want to quit or stick around, you know? I always wondered how he got started on the drugs. What made him take them in the first place? Where did he get them? I mean they were prescription pills, my Mom said, but she didn't know what doctor worth his salt would write prescriptions when he knew there was an addiction. So, thanks, I guess. I know you won't let that happen to me."

A solemn look took over the eyes of Jennings Taylor. Finn had struck a nerve. But, as quickly as the pensive expression came, it was replaced by one of assurance. "You are safe with me." Finn continued his story that was actually mostly true and had to listen as the doctor dispensed advice. Not throwing up was at the top of Finn's to do list and he achieved it. He shook hands a little harder than normal this time before letting himself out.

Rachel left that afternoon with a smile on her face. Just knowing that the next time she was here, that creep of a doctor was going to get exactly what he deserved.

Monday morning couldn't come soon enough for either of them. Even Finn woke up early with an actual honest to goodness, nothing to do with naughty touching, smile on his face. It was really going to happen. The MP's had arrived on Sunday and everyone had met with them to depose their stories. Lisa flew in for moral support and also because she wanted to be there to see the "sick piece of shit burn." Finn had never seen his aunt so vicious. He made a mental note to never piss her off. All in all, everything was a go. The whole team had agreed to the plan with a few tweaks here and there.

Sitting in the truck outside the office where Finn would realize his most pressing dream at the moment, he stared out the window in silence as Rachel looked on. She held onto his hand, but left him alone to his thoughts. He would glance at her and smile every once in awhile but stayed lost inside his head. She finally broke it with an almost whispered, "I have to go in." He looked at her for a moment before nodding. She reached up to kiss his cheek, following her lips with her hand, stroking his cheek. Nothing else needed to be said. She turned to get out of the car and he pulled her back to him to hold her. She nestled herself into him with one arm around his neck, face against his chest. Then, he let her go. Finn watched her back as she disappeared inside the building. He didn't tell her, but he had a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. It wasn't something he could place. He didn't know if it was just the weight of the situation or just his nerves. Or maybe it was the plan itself. Though he didn't want to let himself acknowledge it, he was pretty sure this feeling was somehow connected to Rachel. And he didn't like it. Not at all.

"Good morning, Ms. Berry!" Jennings Taylor greeted her from the front desk where he was just hanging up the phone.

"Hello, Dr. Taylor," she said cheerily. Won't be good for long she thought smugly.

"That was Greta. She won't be in today. Had to take her cat in for some sort of... oh I don't know. I'm a dog person," he chuckled at his own joke and she pretended to find it funny as well. "So, I am going to need you to man the front for me today."

"I can do that," she assured him with a one hard nod of her head.

"I have three patients to see before lunch and then, Mr. Warbler just after as always. By the way, there hasn't been any more contact between the two of you has there?"

"No, Sir. Strictly professional. I honestly don't know what I was thinking. I promise from now on... no more getting to close."

"That's what I want to hear," he moved behind her closely as she took her seat at the front desk. She tried to hide the shiver that suddenly came over her. Thankfully, his 8:30 came in and he led her to is office.

As per the plan, Rachel used her post observation interviews to probe for more questions. It was something she had done every day since she had been there, but today was different. Because today, she was asking very pointed questions and she had been given a wireless transmitter about the size of a nickel that was placed on her headband. She was nervous. She tried very hard to look at this as just another performance, but there were huge stakes here. And, this was a man who had magically alluded authorities and duped the US military, going on to become one of the most highly respected psychologists in his field. Deep breathing was helping her remain calm, but when you were sitting across from someone who read people for a living, and was damn good at it? Talk about pressure.

"So, do we have time for me to ask you some questions? I just need a few more quotes and ideas for my paper."

He glanced at his watch before answering. "I believe we do. What would you like to know today?" He stood and walked around to sit beside her in the matching leather chair in front of his desk. He pulled it closer and she uncrossed and recrossed her legs so that his knee was no longer touching hers. She nervously rolled her shoulders and glanced at him without making eye contact. This was not how this normally went. There was something different about him today. She ignored her apprehension, remembering that there was a team of military officials listening. And Finn. He was out there and this guy could be as creepy as he wanted because nothing would happen to her with Finn just outside. It was then that she realized she kind of felt threatened by Dr. Taylor's proximity. She was going to just push through.

_**Just outside in a plain black van sat Finn, his Aunt Lisa, Duke, and three MP's. They were going to be listening to every conversation going on inside. Finn was already jumpy knowing that Greta was gone and he really just wanted to abandon all the drama and just go confront the guy. But he was told that they had a stronger case if they could get verbal confirmation as well. But, his sick feeling was still there and he wondered if it was a different kind of tugging at the tether he shared with Rachel. One that hadn't tugged before. Some sort of alert that she was in trouble. He would just be glad when the mission was competed and she was far the hell away from the creep. He continued to listen intently.**_

"Well, I was doing some research on your time with the Army."

She noticed a subtle shift in his posture. It was so slight, but he definitely tensed up a bit. Good, she thought.

"Go on," he said.

"I saw that among your routine duties as psych examiner, you also specialized in PTSD counseling."

"Yes. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is the most common mental ailment in the military for obvious reasons. I felt it my obligation to use my training and knowledge in the area to be of some assistance to the men serving this country." He was smug like he was waiting for a pat on the back or a parade of some sort in his honor.

"That is very... noble... of you," she fought the urge to break character, eloquently tell him what an over confident, self serving, calculating asshole he was and storm out Rachel Berry style.

"Thank you," he said. This man accepted compliments with ease. Almost with expectation.

"What therapies, exactly, did you employ to treat these cases?" She held her pencil at the ready, jotting notes as he spoke. Her eyes were narrowed behind her glasses.

"That is a good question. I believe I was rather revolutionary to be honest." Of course you do, she thought. "I tried hypnotherapy, which at the time was just becoming a viable choice. But, I found that a drug regiment that I created proved to be most effective."

Gotcha, smug son of a- "If I may, what exactly was included in this regiment?"

He eyed her, gauging her trustworthiness. But also wondering about the specific nature of her question.

"Well, I don't like to disclose such things. These are things that some medical professionals like to keep to themselves. We are in a highly competitive field, Ms. Berry. If it got out, everyone would use it and then it wouldn't be something that gives me an edge, now would it?" He leaned in closer to her as he spoke causing her to lean away slightly.

"Well, I never thought about it that way. I was just curious. You know, as an up an coming go getter myself, it would be nice to have your expertise in my back pocket, but I understand. I am going to assume that part of it included Valium."

"Why would you assume that?" he sat back suddenly curious and a little taken aback at her boldness.

"Well, in Blaine's session, I know that's what you gave him, so I just thought it would be one of your drugs of choice." She shrugged after giving her very logical response.

"Very astute, Ms. Berry. And, yes. I do think Valium is very beneficial when one cannot get the sleep they so desperately need."

"But, in PTSD cases, sleeplessness isn't the only symptom involved..."

"You are correct. And you have done your homework." He smiled with pride at his little protege.

You have no idea, she thought. "Yes, Sir. I most certainly have," she smiled.

"I'll tell you what... if you can guess the other medications, I will not lie to you." A smirk appeared and she caught his eyes roam her from head to toe.

Keep it together, Rachel. You can ignore it for just a little while longer. You have the answers from the file. Just get him to talk and it's all over.

"Deal," she said light heartedly. "How many guesses do I get?" She chose playful, obviously he was leering, so flirting might get her what she wanted faster. Even if she had to take six showers and throw up when she left.

"Well, there are two other drugs, so I'll give you three."

"Ok..." she pretended to think, tapping her pencil against her lips. "Xanax?"

He immediately showed surprise before smiling widely. "You are quite good, Ms. Berry. That is one of them."

"Well, no offense, Dr. Taylor, but it is a pretty obvious choice. Why do you prescribe it instead of say, Zoloft, which is milder?"

"Well, when I first started prescribing Xanax back in the early 90's is was fairly new, only about nine years old, so I was one of the first to get results. My patients seemed to do very well with it and they began to spread my name. I decided; why fix what isn't broken?"

"I read an article in one of my classes that Xanax was one of the worst to present with patients having extreme withdrawl symptoms. Was this ever a problem for the men and women you treated?"

"Well, I am very meticulous with the overseeing of these drugs in my patients. I wouldn't allow for addiction. And you have two more guesses." He was very nonchalant about the topic. Rachel was in awe, really, of just how self assured he was. If he wasn't so evil, it would be a quality she admired.

"Oh... you're right. Ok... Phenelzine?"

"No. Uh-oh... one guess left..."

She stared directly into his eyes. "Risperdal." It wasn't a question. It was a definitive answer.

"How did you know that?" His voice was low. Cold. He didn't like to lose and he didn't like the suspicion that had just been born in him. It wasn't that she guessed the drug. The drug was controversial, yes, but fairly common. It was that it didn't read like a guess. It read like she knew more than she let on.

"Lucky guess." She said smoothly. But, sensing something dark brewing in him, she changed her tone. "Ok... I confess. Your little cocktail isn't as big of a secret as you thought."

He raised his brow and brought it back down, narrowing his eyes. "What do you mean?"

_**From the speaker, Finn could hear the change in his tone and it made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. "Duke, I don't like this," he said thickly.**_

"_**Kid, she's doing good. We are right here. Nothing is gonna happen to your girl." He gave Finn a slap on the back. Finn's jaw was clenched and his eyes were closed. He began rocking slightly with anxious energy. Lisa put her hand on his knee to calm him. He continued to listen in, Rachel's voice keeping him seated.**_

"Well, if I was able to find it, anyone could. I happened upon a chat room when I was studying your work. Some of the veterans from the Gulf have support groups online and your name was search hit. Two of the men were discussing their time over there and discovered they were both seen by you. You had them on the same thing. So, though you may want to keep your treatments to yourself, your patients are talking in cyberspace. You should consider it an honor really."

"I guess I will have to check this out for myself later." He suspected she was lying, being a master of his craft, but there was something about her he trusted. She saw conflict on his face.

"You should," she assured him, glad she was leaving soon because she made that whole thing up. "But, back to the drugs... Risperdal wasn't on the market until 1993 and the war was over in 1991. How did you get access to it?" This was the question she had been dreading.

"Well," he shifted uncomfortably. "It was in the experimental stages. The drug companies were paying big for test subjects. I assure you that everyone I prescribed it to signed their consent to take part in the trials. Ms. Berry, I am sensing that you have some sort of angle here." He stood, walking to his desk and turning to lean on it.

"_**That's it!" Finn exclaimed, rising rapidly and throwing his headphones to the ground. "I'm going to get her."**_

_**A strong hand gripped his arm at the elbow and shoved him back to his seat.**_

"_**No. You're not. You're gonna sit your ass down and let these boys do their job."**_

_**He looked to Lisa with a pained expression and she mouthed "It's OK."**_

"_**It better be," he mouthed back angrily, shoving the headphones back on his head and glaring at the men around him**_

"No. No angle here." What was the best way to distract form suspicion? Because she needed to come up with something quickly. "I just, you know, admire you for being so 'outside the box.' It is exactly the kind of professional I hope to be." She averted her eyes from his because the way he was boring into them made her want to crawl out of her skin. What the hell was he thinking? Was that anger? Suspicion? Lust? Her stomach lurched on the last one, and maybe it was her own knowledge that she was, in fact, playing him, but something was different in the air. And then, in an instant, his expression changed. He was less agitated. He was calm. Eerily calm. He walked around behind her and she took a deep breath, her eyes moving to the side to follow him as far as she could without moving her head.

"I have been meaning to ask you about something all day, Ms. Berry. This weekend, I was doing a little tidying up in my office and I noticed something very odd."

"Oh?" She felt cold sweat on her forehead.

"Yes. Right here, beside the couch, was a slip of paper. And, I thought it was strange because I knew it wasn't mine. When I looked it over, I discovered it was from an old file of mine. A patient I saw years ago and the only files I would have on this patient are locked up. Right over there. In that cabinet." He stopped talking and placed his arms on the back of her chair, leaning down into her ear. "Would you like to explain to me how that happened?"

Her breathing was labored now. He knew. How could she be so stupid as not to notice a paper falling to the ground?

"Why do you think I have anything to do with it?" She squeaked. Her bravery was failing her. She was scared.

"_**I'm out. And fuck all of you if you think you're gonna stop me!" Finn bounded out the back door and began running toward the clinic, ignoring the shouts coming from inside.**_

"You were the only one who had access to my office other than me, Rachel. It wasn't hard to piece together. The question is... why were you in those files? I pondered that all weekend and it wasn't until today that it came to me with your questions. Did you find what you were looking for? Huh?" His hands gripped her arms tightly and he jerked her out of her chair, turning her to face him roughly. Her tearful eyes were full of fear as they took in the animalistic fury in his.

"I—I-I don't know what you're talking about. You're hurting me," she cried.

"Do you know how hard I've worked to conceal those files? There are things about medicine and it's advancement that some will never understand. The decisions I've made and the people I have used have all made me the powerful man I am. I will not let some little insignificant girl ruin it for me by nosing into my indiscretions."

He shook her hard, throwing her to the ground. She hit her head on the corner of his desk when she fell and she felt warm liquid drip down her forehead. He crouched next to her, unfeeling. Uncaring. His menacing eyes drew closer to hers and he practically growled, "What did you want with my files? What is your connection to Christopher Hudson?"

The doctor suddenly found himself being lifted to the ground by his shirt, his face exploding in pain before he fell to the ground.

Rachel stared at Finn as he stood over the doctor, panting.

"I am, you son of a bitch and if you touch her again I will kill you with my bare hands."

**Who wants Finn to be theirs right now? So... I will admit that I don't know if this is military protocol. I was factual as much as Google would allow. And, I tried to be as accurate as possible with the medications. But, this is fiction after all. I hope it was somewhat believable, though. Review! I really hope you liked it because I had so much fun writing it!**

**Thanks to those of you who have commented and reviewed. And thank you especially to those of you who have supported this from the beginning. You have totally inspired the writer in me! This is far from over so hang in there with me!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Wow! What a response! Thank you so much! I have known how that was going to happen for a long time and I feel better getting to share it! :) When we left off, an incredibly sexy angry panting Finn was standing over Jennings Taylor after knocking his ass to the ground for roughing Rachel up. Oh, Finn Hudson! But, the good news is that Finn is about to get some much needed closure. The bad news? Rachel has to go to NYC.**

Jennings Taylor struggled to sit up, bringing his hand up to rub his near broken jaw. His eyes rose to see Finn for the first time, standing at full height, chest heaving, eyes burning. Just as he registered his patient as his assailant, two military police officers rushed into the room accompanied by Duke with Lisa trailing behind. Still reeling in pain, Dr. Taylor stumbled as he tried to get to his feet.

"Jennings Taylor, you are under arrest for falsifying statements to the United States military, withholding evidence in a discharge decision, administering illegal amounts of substances to patients under your care, and now, assault. You have the right to remain silent..."

Finn turned from the scene in front of him and flew to Rachel's side, she sat holding her sweater to her head, a look of shock plastered on her face. Until her eyes met his. Then the shock melted into tears. Heavy tears, accompanied by sobs. He barely had time to reach for her before she had thrown her arms around his neck, bringing her body as close to his as she could. It was here she felt safe. It was here she felt protected. The force of her actions knocked him from his crouch onto his butt and he held onto her as he fell back, squeezing her to him tightly with both arms, his face buried in her hair. He could feel her body quaking with her sobs and this broke him a little as well. He shed a tear or two, but quickly regained composure, wanting to appear strong when he confronted the doctor who had trashed his father's name. His name.

He clung to her, needing to feel her in his arms to know she was alright. Needing her to feel him right there. Needing her to know that nothing bad was ever going to happen to her again as long as he was around. His arms provided the calming effect she needed, because her crying finally softened and her breathing slowed down. But she didn't let go.

"Finn, I was so scared," she said in a broken whisper from over his shoulder.

"I know. I could hear it in your voice. I was so scared, too, Rachel, and they wouldn't let me leave and then I just couldn't sit there anymore," he pulled her back, clutching both sides of her head, speaking into her eyes from a close distance. "I had to get to you. Are you Ok? You were bleeding."

"Yes. I think it stopped. It's not that bad. I just hit my head on the desk as I fell."

He lifted her bangs to find her injury, running his thumb underneath it lightly. "We need to get this checked out." He stared into her eyes intensely. "I am so. sorry," he said as his tears returned.

"Finn, it wasn't your fault," she said softly, her eyes pleading with him not to go there.

"Really? Because the way I see it, you wouldn't even be here if it weren't for me. And Inever should have let you be in here alone. I had a feeling this morning that something bad was going to happen to you and I should have gone with my gut." He stroked her face repeatedly as he spoke to her with pain evident in his voice.

"I would have done it anyway," she said stubbornly. "And besides, you got here in time. You rescued me. You're my hero," she smiled a sympathetic smile.

He shook his head and pulled her back to him fiercely. "I love you. God, I love you so much, and if anything had..."

She turned her head an inch to whisper in his ear, "it didn't. I'm fine. I mean I have a headache and I want to kick that creep in the unmentionables, but other than that, I'm OK. I knew you would come. It was what kept me going. You will always take care of me. I know that."

"I will, Rachel. I promise I will." He pulled her back again so he could see her face and she could see his sincerity.

She reached up to stroke his face, his eyes falling closed at her touch. "I know," she whispered on her way to a kiss. She kissed him softly to show him love. He deepened it significantly to show her his need for her. Pulling out of the kiss, resting foreheads together, they smiled sweetly at one another.

"Finn, I believe you had something to say to the 'sick piece of shit,' as your aunt dubbed him?" Duke said quietly. "Rachel, are you OK?" The kind eyed man knelt beside her, checking the cut on her head and glancing at her pupils. "I don't think there's major damage, but that cut looks pretty nasty. Might want to get that cleaned up."

"Yes, Sir," she replied. "But I'm not leaving until after Finn has his say." She turned back to look at him. He was consumed with adrenaline again and staring with rage at the man in handcuffs across the room. Finn's hands were shaking and his heart was racing. He felt a cool, soft hand on his cheek and his head was being turned against it's will.

"You can do this, Finn. And you can do it without killing him. Remember, keeping your cool will do more to get to him than anything. You have come so far. This is your moment. Okay? Eighteen years in the making. Forget about everything else. Take it." She smiled brightly and he was touched at hearing his own words repeated to him. She kissed him softly and he helped her stand so that he could get up, too.

He took Rachel's hand and kept her at his side as he slowly walked over to face Jennings Taylor. He stopped at the doorway where his Aunt Lisa stood, watching the drama unfold with tears in her eyes. He held out his free hand to her. She smiled with pride as she took it in hers, giving it a squeeze. The trio continued over to the center of the room. The doctor was sitting on the couch, surrounded by armed military officials, hands restrained behind his back, glaring at the young man in front of him.

Finn turned one of the office chairs around and lowered himself into it after placing it close to the other man. He leaned his elbows over onto his knees and raised an eyebrow as he looked Jennings over with disgust. The arrogance of this man was astounding as he sat there looking at Finn with indifference. Rachel stood just over Finn's shoulder for support.

"First, let me introduce myself. I am Finn Hudson. Christopher Hudson's only son. His only child."

For the first time, Jennings Taylor, showed some semblance of emotion. Surprise. And intimidation?

"Because of you, my father, a man who served his country, saved countless lives, was denied an honorable discharge. Because of you, he had to fight a drug addiction that wasn't necessary. Because of you, I spent months hurting because I was afraid I was gonna turn into a junkie or something. All to find out that you caused every bit of it. And when he came to you for help, you stabbed him in the back to save your own sorry ass. And, now, you will pay for that. And I will get honor for my Dad. But, you know what else? I happen to know for a fact there is a drawer full of people over there that might want to give you the same speech, and they will be calling soon. You're done Dr. Taylor. You have prided yourself for so long on outsmarting everybody, but in the end you were bested by a couple of teenagers. Feel good? Now you can live with a tarnished name while you rot away in a cell." Finn leaned in closer to the evil sitting across from him. "And you know what they do to skinny, smart, smug dudes like you in prison, right?" He sat back again. "Well, I don't want to ruin the surprise. Thoughts?" Finn sat back in his seat, buzzing with energy, crossing his arms over his chest as Rachel brought her hand up to rest on his shoulder. He felt his Aunt Lisa join her, placing her hand on the other.

"This isn't over," was all the defeated man could say.

"We'll see," Finn returned and watched with a proud smirk as his enemy was escorted out the door.

Officials came back in and took statements from all of the witnesses. The front office area was buzzing with activity as the investigation had already gone into full force.

Finn sat completely still and quiet until Rachel timidly walked around to sit in his lap. "How do you feel?" she asked softly, eyeing him as he stared at the ground.

"Like a man, Rach. I feel like a man. A good one." He lifted his eyes to look at her and was met with closed eyes that were releasing tears that streamed down her cheeks. She was smiling. It was beautiful. She opened her eyes and shook her head adoringly.

"It's about time, Finn Hudson. It's about time." She kissed him on his cheek and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"Flipper," Lisa said, wiping away tears, "I can't believe the amazing man you have turned into. Not even your Dad could have pulled off something like this. I am so proud of you. He will be, too. And honored. I love you. I hope you know that."

"I do. And thanks, Aunt Lisa, for everything. I love you back." His aunt kissed his forehead and walked to the back of the room where Duke stood talking on his cell phone. Duke put his arm around her shoulders in a brotherly gesture.

Still holding her, her head lying on his shoulder, Finn said softly, "Rach?"

"Yes?"

"Will you please go get your head looked at before I have a full on anxiety attack about it?"

She laughed out loud and pushed herself back from him using his shoulders as a platform. Smiling down at him she said, "yes if it will shut you up!" Another quick kiss and she went to the lobby where the paramedics Duke called in before leaving the van had finally arrived. Finn leaned forward watching her until she disappeared from view. It was hard for him to let her out of his sight, but with her leaving for New York in just four days, he figured he would have to get used to it.

A strong hand clapped onto his shoulder, bringing his attention upward. Duke pulled the other chair around next to him and sat. Lisa followed.

"Kid, thank you. Thank you for doing something so big none of the rest of us could have dreamed it possible. I'm sorry I didn't," he said.

"Me, too," Lisa added.

"It's Ok. I'm really glad I got to be the one to do it. Hey, Aunt Lisa? Could you go sit with Rachel? I'm kind of sick here thinking of her out there by herself. Kind of jumpy about it, ya know?"

"Sure, Flip. I'd be glad to." She ruffled his hair and left the room.

"So what comes next, Duke? I mean, I know you explained it, kind of, but I'm not sure I kept up with all of this going on."

"Well, Taylor will be kept in custody. He will go to trial. You and Rachel will both be called as witnesses. But, I am assured this is a formality, given the evidence you've got. So, I don't know how long it will take to get a date or how long the trial will last. But, after we get a conviction, we can file another appeal with the review board in light of new findings and, again, getting a date is unpredictable. We are on their time table. But, You will need to be here working on the appeal so that it goes smoothly. I'll be working alongside you and the lawyers. And then, you will receive now paperwork officially giving Christopher Hudson an honorable discharge."

Finn's face was glowing.

"And, it you're lucky, you'll get a form letter of apology with the president's personal photocopied signature on it. That's the real prize." The two men fell into laughter.

As it died down, Finn asked, "Is it really gonna be that easy?"

"It wouldn't have been. But, there is no disputing those files. Speaking of which... where are the others?"

Finn turned at the sound of her voice. "That cabinet, second to the bottom drawer, keys are on the hook behind the tree," Rachel said matter of factly. "Hi," she said, her eyes trained on Finn.

"Hi," he said in the same soft tone, getting up to meet her and wrapping his arms around her waist.

"I'm just gonna... um... go see if they need any help out there," Duke excused himself with a knowing grin. Finn and Rachel both smiled at him as he passed them.

"They put a band aid on it. Are you satisfied?" She looked up at him and rolled her eyes.

"Does it hurt?" he asked with concern.

"A little," she admitted.

He bent down, lifting her hair out of his way and kissed the bandage softly. "How bout now?"

She beamed. "It's a miracle. My pain is gone!" she giggled along with him. His laughter fell and he suddenly turned serious.

"Rachel, I just-"

His lips were stopped with the tips of her fingers.

"Nope. We are not going to do that. It's over. We won. I'm fine. And now, we are going to celebrate." She was wearing her, 'Rachel Berry has spoken' face so he just smiled and nodded in agreement.

"After you call your Mom." Rachel tilted her head to the side and looked at him expectantly.

Finn's shoulders slumped. He knew he had to tell his Mom, he really wanted to even. but what was he going to say? He had purposely not spoken with her since he found out about his Dad being not as dead as they thought so he didn't have to deal with it. But, text messages weren't gonna do this justice.

"What am I going to say, Rach? I mean, I still don't know how to not tell her about my Dad. I will feel like I am lying to her. I don't lie to my Mom."

She nodded knowingly. "OK, you don't lie. But, didn't you do the same thing when you set me free? You let me believe that you were joining the Army which wasn't true. And you did that just so I would go to school. You are literally saving her life by keeping this from her."

"Thanks for putting it in perspective, Babe." He kissed her forehead and sat down, pulling his phone from his pocket and beginning to dial.

"I always do," she said so softly he couldn't hear her before sitting next to him listening as he detailed the recent events to his Mom. He cried several times. There were moments of long silence. On both ends. But, by the end, they were both talking so excitedly that Rachel could hear Carole clearly through the phone. An 'I love you, too, Mom' and he hung up.

"Well?" she asked eagerly.

"Wellllll... at first she was shocked. She cried when I told her how the drug thing started. She was relieved to know that there was a good reason and furious at Jennings Taylor. Even more so when she found out what he did to you. You should know that the Mama Tiger thing she has with me and Kurt now extends to you. She described a pretty badass attack. Scared the hell out of me." They both laughed and Rachel's eyes teared at the thought that she meant that much to Carole. It felt good to have a Mom for once.

"She's so happy, Rachel. And I don't think I have ever heard her sound more proud of me. And that is what I've always wanted. To make her proud." He looked over at her, pulling one side of his mouth up slightly.

"She already was, Finn." Her eyes were warm. Her voice was warm.

"Yeah, I know, but this is something so huge."

Rachel laced her arm through his. "And you didn't think you could dream big."

"I learned from the best." He put an arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his side and placed a kiss on the top of her head. "Let's get out of here. Wanna?"

"Please! The farther I am from this place the better. In fact, I'm fairly certain I don't even want to return to this particular Carolina." They stood, arms wrapped around waists, and started for the front door.

"Fine by me," he said as they left this nightmare behind them.

Dinner was festive. After Finn and Rachel went back to their hotel and took a long nap, they met up with Duke and Lisa to celebrate.

"Rachel, I'm tellin' ya. The kid was more wound up than a coon trying to pass a peach seed," Duke said before taking a long draw form his beer bottle.

"What the hell kind of expression is that?" Finn asked through his laughter.

"Southern. You should try it," he tipped his bottle toward Finn to help his point along.

"You southern people sure are proud for the team that came in last," Finn quipped back.

"Ooooh. That hurt, Kid. Really, really hurt," Duke said, clutching at his heart, feigning his hurt.

"Well, I have to say," Rachel jumped in, "that once the shock and the fear wore off and I replayed the whole thing over in my mind... you charging in there and using brute strength to throw him off of me with that look on your face. Hottest. Thing. Ever."

Finn turned a deep shade of red. "Rach-" he said, clearly embarrassed by her candor.

"What? It was." She shrugged.

"So, Rachel, when do you leave for the Great White Way," Lisa asked, bringing the mood of half their party to a crashing low. "Whoa. Party foul! I am so sorry. You probably don't want to talk about it."

Rachel and Finn shared a sad look. It was inevitable, but it didn't make it easier. "It's fine. We can't run from it right? I leave on Friday. My Dads are going to pay to fly me there. I start the workshop on Monday." She stirred at her tea with her straw before feeling Finn's hand on her knee. He smiled his adorable half smile and tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. She leaned her head into his shoulder.

"You know what, Rachel? I have an idea. Hey, Duke, do you think I will be needed within the next week or so?"

"Um... I'm not sure, but if I was guessing, I would say no. Processing will take awhile and they already have your statements. Why?"

He looked over at Rachel with a sneaky smile and she looked at him in amused curiosity. " I was thinking..." he threw his arm over the back of her chair, "that maybe, I could take you."

"Are you serious?" she squealed.

"Well, yeah, I mean-" he was cut off by the brunette projectile that hurled itself at him. He chuckled at her unbridled enthusiasm. "I take that as a yes?"

"What do you think? Of course!" She radiated excitement, but sobered suddenly. "Wait. How are we going to get there?"

"Thought of that, too. I'll fly with you. We have plenty of money left for the ticket and since these two so generously flew here to be with us, I thought I'd let them take my car back, if they didn't mind, gas on me. You said you flew one way because you didn't know when you'd get to leave, right?" He turned his attention to the two old friends.

"That's right. And I wouldn't mind to take your car back at all, Fipper. How bout it, Duke? Road trip for old times sake? Except this time... no trying to make out with me."

"When did I EVER?" He shot at her.

"Just kidding. Chris would have killed you."

"Damn straight. Um? Yeah. Sounds like fun."

"I'm driving," Lisa stated.

"Oh the hell you are. I've seen you drive. I'm pretty sure you are on hazard watch or something."

"We'll sort this out later. Finn, we will take care of it." Lisa assured her nephew who had already returned his attention to the woman who held his heart.

"So it's settled. I will be your escort to the big city, Ms. Berry. If you'll have me."

"I would be honored," she cooed with a smile that melted into the kiss he placed on top of it.

Rachel called her Dads to cash in on the ticket they promised her and had them go ahead and get Finn's while they were at it so they would be together. To her surprise, they wanted to pay for Finn's ticket, too, saying it made them feel safer knowing that she would be getting settled with his help and wouldn't be traveling alone. Finn was both grateful and humbled.

"Dads said to tell you congratulations and they are very proud of you. They said and I quote, 'Some day, years and years and years from now, we will be honored to call that boy son. Years and years and years from now.' " She giggled at their lack of subtlety.

"Gee, think they were trying to make a point?" Finn kidded.

"Well, whatever. At any rate, Daddy was ordering our tickets online while I talked to Dad and we got the first flight out tomorrow. It was a little more expensive to fly on such short notice, but my Dads are busting for me to get some sort of surprise once we get there, so," she let out a squeal of excitement and clapped her hands rapidly. "Finn!" she exclaimed as she jumped up to her feet in the middle of the bed they had been lounging in and began to jump. "We are going to New York together. Just us this time. No chaperones. No segregated by sexual orientation rooms. No curfews. No club mates. What will we do with ourselves?" she asked, flopping her butt down with a bounce while she caught her breath.

Finn, who had been watching in great entertainment couldn't help but laugh at her exuberance. Then, giving her a dead sexy smirk he said, "I can think of an activity or two."

Catching the suggestive tone of his remark, she raised an eyebrow. Pulling herself up to her hands and knees, she crawled toward him seductively. She nearly giggled when she saw his adam's apple bob up and down when he swallowed hard. He watched with intrigue as she continued to crawl, in her white tank top and white boy short panties mind you, all the way until she was kneeling with tall knees right up against him where he slumped against the headboard. He sat up so that his head was just almost even with hers. He dipped his eyes to look at her flat, bronze abdomen and his large hands slid up her smooth thighs to grip each side of her hips. He took in the view of her body before raising his eyes to meet hers.

"You still haven't received your hero's welcome for saving me today," she said just above a whisper.

He just shook his head no silently, looking her right in her intoxicating brown eyes.

"I really need to thank you properly," she was closer to his face now.

He shook his head yes, still locking eyes with her.

She finally kissed him. They celebrated their victory in their own special way before getting some much needed sleep. He held her tightly against him. He was going to have a really hard time letting go of her, but at least now he knew it wouldn't be for long.

**OK... Dirt bag behind bars, and Finchel headed to NYC. I know where I'm going with this and the pay off will be awesome! **

**Thank you for your awesome reviews! I got a lot off of that last chapter. That's why I wanted to update so quickly. A little reward for your support! I went back and read it and it was pretty intense! You guys are making a writer our of me and for that I will be forever grateful! And, though I would happily stay in a happy Finchel bubble while watching Glee and that may not always happen, I think that Ryan and Brad and Ian have given us some amazing characters to love. Sure, I take liberties with what they say and do, but, those guys bring them to life and make them who they are. Stay with me... more good stuff to come!**


	20. Chapter 20

**I am so glad you liked the last chapter so much! Now our precious Finchel are going to spend some time together in the Big Apple... and don't worry. I haven't forgotten one very important detail about this story... but I have plans! **

"What are you thinking about," he asked as he watched her gaze out of the window of the plane.

She turned her head to look at him, resting it on the back of her seat. "The last time we were on a plane headed to New York. I sat with Kurt and Mercedes and you sat with Puck and Mike. I was just thinking about how nice it would've been to have been cuddled up with you instead."

His head rested against his seat in the same manner as hers and there was the half grin he was always trying to kill her with. "Yeah," he took a moment to imagine it while he looked at her beautiful face. "But... We did sit together on the way back."

She looked at him disdainfully. "Yes, but, if you remember correctly that was by default because nobody else would sit with us because they blamed us for losing Nationals and I ended up sandwiched between you on the aisle and that perfume heavy woman who talked too loud and had something stuck in her throat that she never cleared. And she was really working hard on it." She wrinkled her nose and shivered at the memory.

He couldn't help but laugh out loud at her disgust. It was pretty gross, but she was just so cute about this kind of stuff. "For the record..." he leaned in closer, "I would have been sitting with you anyway."

She smiled, touched by his sentiment, and gave him a soft kiss. "Me, too."

"But you're right, that lady was really gross. I mean, what the hell was that?"

They both cracked up again and through her laughter she said, "I have no idea but I hope it didn't kill her."

As their laughter subsided, he got kind of excited. "So, Ms. New York, what's on the schedule for our stay?"

This perked her up into an almost crazed high. "Well... first we have to all my Dads because they said I will need my surprise right away. So. Stoked. I wonder what it could be?" She gasped loudly, her eyes widening to a whole new level. Then, she dropped her voice slightly, "Do you think they got Patti Lupone to pick us up?"

He simply blinked. Where did she come up with this stuff? "Rach- as close as you and Patti have become after meeting for thirty seconds over a year ago, I don't think you are quite at that 'pick you up from the airport' place in your relationship. Sorry." He smiled at his own cleverness before having his smile retreat in fear at the glare she was throwing at him. "Not funny?" Her face didn't change. "OK. Can you get all happy again because I kind of think you're trying to kill me with your eyes right now."

"I'm willing to let it slide this time because we are going to NEW YORK!" And just like that she was back on the mountaintop. "So, after my surprise, we can go to my new dorm and unpack I guess. It will be around dinner time when we get there, so we can do that. We can just walk around and take it all in if you want. We didn't get the chance to do that last time."

"There are a lot of things we didn't get to do last time," he said, raising his eyebrow.

"No, we didn't, we will have to remedy that," she purred, slinking closer to his face, running her hand inside the collar of his shirt..

"I was talking about seeing a show or the Statue of Liberty, but good to know you're on board," he smirked.

"I hate you," she whispered before losing herself in his sweet kisses.

The Captain turned the seat belt sign on and the little 'bing' pulled them out of their moment. He was clearly ogling her now and she nudged his arm playfully before lacing her fingers with his. They perused Sky Mall together during their descent into La Guardia and she convinced him that he did not, in fact, need an underwater cell phone system, nor did he an ipod holder toilet paper roll. When they were given permission to unbuckle, she pulled his face close to hers and made him take a picture to remember flying together for the first of what, hopefully, would be many adventures. He retrieved their bags, as a gentleman should, and carried them off the plane. He gave her her little pink carry on to pull while he lugged his duffle bag down the exit ramp. She had checked quite a bit of luggage so it was a good thing it was all on wheels and stacked easily. Once he had collected all of it at baggage claim, he, the 6'3" drumming quarterback, pulled the rest of her pink luggage set behind him, lacing the handles of his bag on top so that he could have a free arm for her to hold onto as they made their way through the crowd to the passenger pick up area outside. Her Dads had arranged for them to be picked up so they didn't have to pay for a cab and when they spotted the driver holding the sign that read "Berry," they followed him to the vehicle waiting for them. It wasn't a limo, but only a tiny part of her hoped it would be. As soon as they were inside, she called her Dad.

"Baby! You made it. How was your flight?"

"It was great. Thank you for everything. And for having a car there for us. We appreciate it so much. Now," cutting to the chase, "what is my surprise?" she sang.

"Well, your driver has been instructed to take you home and then you will see," he teased.

"Daaaaad? The suspense is killing me! But, OK. I will call you to thank you for whatever it is! I love you," she smiled into the phone.

"Love you, too, TwinkleBell, tell Finn I said hello and to take good care of my baby," he made a kiss noise before hanging up.

She held the phone in her hands, smiling warmly before looking over to Finn. "Dad says hi. And to take good care of me."

"Always," he said softly, letting her situate herself against him. "So, we going to your dorm?"

"Yes. The driver has directions. So, we can just sit back here and relax. Take in the beauty of the city." She took in a deep breath and sighed contentedly.

"Yep," he said, looking out the window, "that dude peeing on that street sign in breathtaking," he laughed even though he got jabbed in the ribs.

It was a good hour through traffic before the car came to a stop. "Here's your stop, Ma'am," the driver called back to them after clearing his throat to get their attention which was currently fully devoted to making out. That was probably why Rachel hadn't realized they were not in the right place.

Catching her breath and straightening her hair, she told him, "Um? I'm sorry. There must be some mistake. This isn't the correct building. I am staying at the NYADA dormitory. It's on West 57th St."

"Ma'am, this is the address I was given by your father," he said apologetically.

She looked at Finn ,confused, and he shrugged.

"Which is what, exactly?" she asked, turning back to the driver.

"West 64th Ma'am."

Rachel threw herself back into her seat and pulled out her phone.

"Dad?"

"Baby!" he exclaimed, just as thrilled to be talking to her as he was just an hour ago.

"We have a little problem. Our driver seems to think you gave him directions to NYADA, but we are not in front of NYADA."

"Oh, dear. Please put him on the phone."

Rachel handed her phone across the seat and whispered, "he wants to talk to you," while nodding. The driver stared at her a beat before taking the phone.

"Yes, Sir?"

She leaned back into Finn's open arm. "My Dad will take care of this. There has been some kind of mix up."

"That sucks, because I was really looking forward to going inside," he leaned toward her andraised his eyebrow again, glancing quickly at her lips.

This brought her to nuzzle his neck with her face, clutching her fingers in his hair. "So was I," she said breathily, opening her mouth on his skin and placing a hot, wet kiss just under his ear.

"I meant so I could pee, but, again, glad to know where you stand. God, try to control yourself." He tried to remain serious but when she bit him he had to laugh, reclaiming her mouth as his own.

A throat cleared a second time and both red lipped faces shot up. "You can have your phone back, Ma'am. And there was no mistake. We are at the right address. Your Dad told me that he left something for you at the front desk. May I help you inside now?" He raised his eyebrows as if he were on the verge of ending that sentence with the word diva, but couldn't.

She shared another confused look with Finn and agreed. The driver helped Finn get the luggage out of the trunk and Rachel made a move to tip him. "Tip's already taken care of, Ma'am."

"Thank you," she replied. He nodded before driving away.

Rachel looked up at Finn. "I guess we'll go in?"

"After you," he gestured with his head.

Once inside, they were in some sort of lobby where they found someone sitting at the front desk. He was a pleasant looking older gentleman with white hair and round glasses. He wore a bow tie, red, with his white button down and khaki colored pants.

"Good evening, young people. How may I help you?" he asked in a grandfatherly tone.

"I'm not sure, actually," Rachel said. "I was told that my father left something with you for me. I'm Rachel Berry?"

"Oh, the mysterious Miss Berry. Your father told me all about you. Gonna be a star."

"I hope so, yes." she smiled shyly and felt Finn's hand rest on her shoulder.

"And you must be the strapping fiancee, Finn, right?" He looked up at Finn from over the top of his glasses.

"Yes, Sir," Finn said, extending his hand to shake.

"Fine looking couple. Gonna make pretty babies some day," he said with a gentle smile.

Finn and Rachel looked at each other, though blushing, they were absolutely glowing with the same, wonderful thought.

"Well, glad to have you." He turned his back to them and bent down to get something out of his desk drawer. "Ah. Here it is. Your Dad left this with me when he was here about a week and a half ago on business. Wants you to open it immediately."

Rachel took the large white envelope from the kind man. "Thank you, Mr..."

"Peeples."

"Mr. Peeples. And it's very nice to meet you."

"Pleasure is mine, sweetheart. If I can help you with anything else, please don't hesitate to ask."

"We won't," Finn answered back. "Thanks."

The old man simply nodded and went back to the tiny TV he had been glued to before Finn and Rachel came in.

Rachel walked over to the grouping of small couches across the room and Finn followed with their bags. They both found seats and Rachel tore into her envelope. She pulled out a letter. It was from her Dad. She read it aloud as Finn read over her shoulder.

_TwinkleBell,_

_Welcome to the city of your dreams. I know you have been here twice already, but the first time was for a competition, the second time, well, you weren't really up for enjoying anything, but now, you have made it. And, this time you are happy. I know this because you still have Finn and I know how happy he makes you._

She paused her reading to look back at the man behind her. He smiled and she kissed his cheek before continuing.

_Baby, I know when we were there, we looked at that tiny little one bedroom dorm room, but your father and I were talking and we think that just won't suit. We know in our hearts that Kurt will end up there eventually and that the two of you have your hearts set on living together when that happens. We also know, though we may have our reservations, that you want Finn there with you some day, as well. We don't want anymore heart break to get in your way. So, we are providing you with a two bedroom apartment in the building you are currently sitting in. If you will look in the bottom of this envelope, you will find your key cards. _

She felt Finn sit straight up as realization came and she looked at him in shock.

_The building's security was the deciding factor. We hope you like it. _ _We are good friends with the President of the management company for that building and he is giving us quite a good deal. Now, the freebie won't be forever. Once things are settled after your Freshman year, we expect you and whoever may join you to contribute and we will pay part. But, sweetheart, we are so very proud of you. We want you to have every advantage we can provide to make your dreams come true. Enjoy. And call home daily, please!_

_ All our love,_

_ Your Dads_

"Oh. My. God. Finn!" she squealed as she sprung from the couch and turned to face him. Her face was lit up and his was, too.

"Rach- this is awesome!"

They took a moment to let the reality soak in. This was her place now. And, most likely his as well. Some day.

"Well?" she insisted brightly. "Let's go check it out!"

She grabbed ahold of his shirt and drug him along as he drug the luggage along. There was an elevator. An ELEVATOR. Climbing aboard, they were giggling like small children in line to see Santa. Once the doors closed, she couldn't contain her excitement any longer and began to jump up an down. Finn laughed at her, thinking that one of his favorite things about her was how she seemed to feel every moment as much as a person could. Sometimes, he had seen that be a bad thing. Because, when she hurt, nobody hurt like Rachel. But, when she was happy? No one was more alive.

They arrived at her door (her door!) and she slid in the key card, hearing a faint beep. They stepped inside and flipped on the light. It wasn't huge, but it was plenty. They were standing in an open room where they could see the living room and the kitchen all in one. The far wall was made up entirely of glass doors that opened to the fire escape/veranda with a view of the city. One of the walls in the living area was industrial red brick, very New York, and the kitchen contained a small eat in area, already furnished with a small round table. In fact, there was already a new couch, overstuffed and black, situated against the brick wall, and a large club chair to match. A mid sized flat screen television hung on the wall opposite the brick one. The kitchen had appliances on the counter tops and she could see dishes through one cabinet with glass in the doors. Her Dads had furnished it, too?

Finn dropped their bags off at the door and came to stand behind Rachel, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on top of her head. They just stood there silently. She was staring into this room with tears streaming down her face. This was really happening. Everything she had worked for, hoped for, dreamed about was all around her. Including the strong, warm arms of the man she loved. She brought her hands around herself to hold onto his wrists. Her head fell back onto his chest and he adjusted so that his cheek was on her head.

"Welcome home, Babe," he whispered. He felt her shake her head and she turned in his arms, bringing her arms up around his neck.

"Only when you're here, Finn. That's when it's home." Her eyes were fixed on his and she spoke with such sincerity his heart nearly burst. He shook his head at her as he brought it down to kiss her. Slow. Sweet. Hot as hell.

"I love you." It was a simple statement of fact.

"I love you, too. Wanna go check out the bedroom?" she whispered, running her hands under his shirt and up his back, pulling his body into hers.

"More than anything," he replied and bent down to resume kissing her.

"I meant to see what kind of bed my Dads bought me. Now who needs to control himself?" She grinned slyly and turned to walk down the hall.

He stood with pursed lips and narrowed eyes. "I deserved that," he said aloud to only himself. He sighed and went to get their bags and followed her path into what would one day be their bedroom.

Even though it was small, it was impressive. There was a queen sized bed and a dresser and still room for a chair in the corner, night stands, and plenty of walking space. It hosted a window to the fire escape as well. There was a note on the bed.

_Rachel-_

_Hope you like your new bed. We didn't want to decorate for you. Your place should be your own. And we know how Kurt will be salivating over a clean slate. White down will keep you warm until you decide on bedding. _

"Could they be any more amazing? But, this is more than over the top spoiling. Even for them."

"You are their little girl. And, you know, it's more special because not many gay couples get the chance to raise kids. It's special." He shrugged as if that's the way the world looked at it, too.

People wrote Finn's mind off a lot, which was something that bothered Rachel. Because, she knew him. She knew how smart he really was about many things. In some ways, one of the smartest people she knew. Obviously not with words, but that was due to exposure more than anything, because he picked up her vocabulary pretty quickly. He memorized plays and stats and held an impressive library of sports trivia in his head. He could hear a drum line and repeat it beat for beat. He was a strategist who could look at problems and find solutions. But, more than that, he was people smart. He just saw people and their situations for more than what average people saw them. Even her. She couldn't think of anyone more thoughtful or with a heart that was bigger. Why couldn't he see it, too?

"That's actually kind of beautiful, Finn. Thank you."

"Yeah." He said, shoving his hands in his pockets, suddenly shy under a gaze so adoring.

"Hungry?" she asked, jumping to another subject.

"Starving!"

"Well, before all this, I kind of wanted to go out, but now..."

"Take out and a movie?" he asked quickly, reading her mind.

She just smiled holding her bottom lip between her teeth and nodded furiously. "It's our first night in our new apartment And yes it's ours because when you get that honorable discharge like the hero you are, you will be marching right back here to me. And, by then, Kurt will probably be here and, well, right now, it's just us. I want to fill this place with memories of you so that when we are apart, you'll be here with me. Kind of. That sounds so dumb." She put her face in her hands and quickly found them being pulled away.

"Not at all," he said when she met his eyes. "It's really sweet."

She just smiled and put her arms around his waist, squeezing him tight. "So, what should we order?"

"I don't know. What delivers?"

She pulled back to look at him once more. "We are in New York, Finn. Everything delivers."

Huge, stupid, giddy smiles broke out onto both of their faces before he picked her up eliciting a loud squeal and a fit of giggles and started spinning her around.

"I love New York," he said.

**How cute are they in their new home? I wanted them to get some fresh air and lighthearted play time after what they have been through. I thought I owed it to them. I hope you liked it, too. I am already working on the next chapter, so it won't be long. Instead of cash, just send reviews! :)**


	21. Chapter 21

**Finchel and NYC... two of my all time favorite obsessions! I so enjoy reading your reviews and comments! They just make me giddy! **

"It won't be easy... you'll think it strange..."

Finn opened one eye to the bright sunlight streaming into the bedroom and shut it quickly. He was laying on his stomach diagonally across the queen sized bed with one foot hanging off the edge. The stark white sheet was tangled all around his naked body and he had both hands under the pillow he had bunched up under his head.

"That I still need your love after all that I've done..."

The memory of how he got in this position settled into his brain and his body reacted immediately. A creeping grin slid across his face and disappeared when he realize that the star of that memory wasn't beside him where she so clearly belonged. His head popped up to scan the room and that's when he registered what must have woken him up in the first place. Her voice. Singing. But from where? And then he saw her. She was standing out on the fire escape/ balcony that was just out the bedroom window. He should have known. He couldn't think of a time that they had passed a balcony anywhere that she hadn't stopped to sing Don't Cry for Me Argentina. He just laid there watching her, wrapped in a blanket, bare shoulders peeking out above the top with her dark chocolate hair cascading down her back. And the reaction from earlier was about to go nuclear. He let his face fall back to his pillow and he closed his eyes, just listening to her sing. He thought going to sleep with her singing to him was awesome, but now he was thinking waking up to it was even better. Unable to go without touching her any longer, he stood, and wrapping the sheet around his waist and securing it firmly, he stepped through the window and onto the platform.

"The truth is I never left you..."

Walking up behind her, he let one arm encircle her shoulders while the other wrapped tightly around her waist. He felt her jump a little out of surprise and she cut off the note she was currently holding with a giggle. He bent his face to place sweet kisses down the side of her neck and murmured, "finish the chorus," into her ear before continuing across her shoulder.

"I kept my promise... don't keep your distance," she sang. "Good morning, Handsome."

"Yes it is," he said in the sexy morning voice she had come to love. "Can't resist a balcony can you?"

She shook her head no as his chin came to rest upon it. "They call to me, Finn," she said dreamily, making both of them laugh. They stood looking out over the edge. They had a view of the buildings across the street, but their balconies were made of brick so they weren't very exposed.

He chuckled. "I know they do," he said before kissing the top of her head and pulled her hair around the opposite shoulder so he could go back to his original activity. "And I really like waking up to your voice like that."

"Thank you," she simply accepted the compliment, closing her eyes at the sensation of his early morning scruff against the skin of her neck. The arm he held around her waist pulled her against him a little more tightly and she could feel what this was doing to him when it nudged her in the small of her back. "Is that-?"

"Mmmhmmm, Sorry. Can't be helped," he shrugged without removing his wet lips from her shoulder.

"I beg to differ," she turned suddenly in his arms, circling her arms around his neck. "Hi," she said softly when she met his eyes.

"Hi," he replied with a smile. Their lips met in a slow, delicious kiss.

"I definitely think I can help," she said with a half grin of her own before backing him up to sit on the steps leading to the balcony above theirs and stood in front of him. "Do you want me to? Help, I mean?" she asked innocently with eyes fluttering.

Finn leaned his elbows back on the step behind his back and eyed her shamelessly up and down. "Oh. Absolutely," was his enthusiastic reply that earned him a lustful smile from the face of the goddess in front of him.

Biting one side of her lip, she knelt down on the step at his feet and raised one eyebrow at his shudder and deep inhale when her fingers grazed his abdomen just about the sheet. She raised herself slightly, laying her body against him to kiss his chest and work her way down to his belly button before glancing up at him from her position. She could see his breath rise and fall heavily in his chest and grinning mischievously, she hooked her fingers inside the sheet and opened it painfully slowly. She watched her own hands as she exposed him and flicked her eyes up to gauge his reaction. All she could see was the anticipation and desire. What she couldn't see was his inner thoughts of surprise at her boldness and excited anticipation of where she was going with this. When she licked her lips, he knew for certain and though it wasn't exactly new to them, it wasn't something they frequented. When her mouth finally made contact, she thrilled at the sound he made. She looked up to see his face but couldn't because he had thrown his head back so far. He got lost in the sensations she was bringing to life in his body and it didn't take long for him to find the relief he was craving so desperately.

He was panting when she climbed onto his lap and kissed him soundly. "Rachel- that was- it was really- damn." They laughed together at the state he was in and he wrapped his arms around her tightly, holding her close.

"I told you it could be helped," she said against his chest.

"I will stand corrected. When I am able to stand," he laughed, stroking her hair sweetly.

She giggled, too. She lay there against his skin, enjoying the feel of his body calming down with his heart rate slowing to normal and his breathing becoming regular. She still couldn't believe the power she held over him when they were like this. It made her feel so alive and so much like a woman.

They finally decided to go inside for showers. He flopped himself onto the bed while she went first. So far, this day had been awesome, he grinned to himself. All that time he waited patiently for her to feel comfortable enough to show this side of herself was so worth it. Because, even though she was trying new things with him and was letting her inhibitions go a little, there was still a Rachel Berry innocence about it that swelled his heart. And she was all his and only his. He was the only guy alive who had ever, would ever experience her like that. She was a treasure to cherish and protect and he would make sure he did just that every day of forever. And he thought he was damn lucky. He hoped she knew that. He hoped she knew that he didn't take for granted what she was willing to give him. It was easy to get caught up in the moment, in his own desire, but did she really know that he looked at those moments as something special. Not just something that felt good. Really, really good.

She emerged in a towel and turban combo and came into the room where he was still laying, hands behind his head.

"Your turn," she chirped and began looking through her unpacked suitcase to find her underwear.

"I love you," he said with something close to reverence.

She turned her head, struck by the seriousness of his tone. "I love you, too," she smiled, touched by his words, and went back to her searching.

"No, Rachel," he sat up and pat the bed next to him, "come here a minute."

She did as he asked and sat next to him, her eyes questioning him.

"I want you to know it. Really know it. I don't want you to think that I am saying this because of what just happened out there. I mean, that was just- WOW. And, I don't want you to think that I expect you to do that stuff. I totally love it when you do, but I guess I just want you to understand I love you even if you don't. And, I need you to know that I am so thankful for what you have done for me this summer. There is no way I would already be as far as I am if you hadn't jumped in my truck and come along for the ride. And I am pretty sure I would have already lost my mind. The way I love you, it's like love isn't a good enough word. I would literally die to keep you safe. And I will never hurt you on purpose or leave you or cheat on you. Ever."

She smiled through her tears. She had no idea where all of that came from, but she really appreciated hearing it. "Finn," she took his hand in hers, "Thank you, so much, for always letting me know how special I am to you. And, for not expecting sexual favors from me. But, I need **you** to know, that when you get them, when you and I are intimate, it's because I want it, too. I want you. I always have. And it's because you love me so much and so well that it is easy for me to feel safe enough to give you all of me. And as for this summer, well, there is no where else I would've been. I belong at your side, fighting along side you. I love you, Finn. With all my heart." He brought their foreheads together by bringing her face forward with his hands. "Now, go take a shower so we can explore this fabulous city."

They spent the rest of the week sightseeing and just walking through the streets. They went to the top of the Empire State Building and came right back down when Rachel felt it swaying. She'd be damned if they made it this far to be there the day the thing finally gave way. He tried to explain to her that she was being crazy but she was having none of it. He managed to get one picture of them before she dragged him back to the elevators. They took the ferry out to Ellis Island. They opted to just look at the Statue of Liberty because Finn didn't think he would fit. At the Modern Museum of Art, they laughed so hard they couldn't breathe because of Finn's commentaries. "Art? It's a desk full of eggshells. Looks like a chicken jailbreak," and "I don't get it. It's a poster of a condom and it's not even to sell them. I can take pictures of condoms. How much is that thing?" However, Van Gogh's Starry Night stopped them both. "It reminds me of you, Rach. Beautiful, dreamy, and it has stars all over it." They put their names in the lotteries for Broadway show tickets and won twice. They got cheap front row tickets to Newsies. She wanted to see it again when she wasn't crying hysterically thinking about never seeing him again when she could vividly see him in the lead role. She also wanted him to see what she was talking about. She won Rock of Ages tickets with her NYADA ID card and completely lost Finn in the music. With shows like this, it wouldn't be long before he started to see himself in roles just like she did. He wanted to see Spiderman before he left and made plans to try for general rush tickets. She was afraid to see it because she was convinced it would jinx her whole career. It had become like that Shakespeare play that shall remain nameless. A curse.

Central Park was beautiful and he knew that in his future he would be spending a lot of time there. Finn sat with his back against a shady tree on a blanket eating cotton candy after he bought his much anticipated hot dog from a cart and realizing it wasn't as good as he had made it out to be in his head. She sat between his legs, leaning her back against his chest. They watched the people run and ride their bikes and made up stories about the people that lingered on the benches.

"That lady in the blue hat eating that pretzel? She used to be a trapeze artist in the circus. Her lover was her catcher and one fateful night, in a freak accident, he fell from the platform to his death below while she watched. Lost in her grief, she ran to the city to start her life anew. Unable to escape the nightmares, she begin a rapid descent into madness and now she thinks her television really talks to her and she comes here to meet her lover's ghost every Thursday." She finished by dramatically placing a tuft of cotton candy in her mouth.

He gave her a blank stare before falling into a fit of laughter that had him wiping tears. "Where the hell do you come up with this stuff?"

"An active imagination is a sign of a healthy intellect, Finn."

"You must be the smartest person alive!"

"Finally, you notice. Thank you," she joked, taking another bite. "You do the next one."

"Alright," he said and then licked his fingers free of sugar. "That dude in the red shorts running in place while talking on his cell phone? He's actually a CIA operative who is waiting here for a drop. He's talking to his handler, getting further instructions on who to look for to get his info. His red shorts are so his contact will know who he is. He's working to take down a group of female assassins who are disguised as french hookers in New York."

She turned her body around to see him raise his eyebrows in challenge. "Finn, I am impressed. And oddly turned on." They laughed together and continued this way until she suddenly grabbed his hand and told him she had a fabulous idea. He grabbed their blanket and followed after her.

She led him around the park to the Boathouse. She rented a rowboat for them and he paddled them out onto the water. "This place is pure magic, Finn. I'm so glad you're here. We are sharing a lot of firsts in New York City together and it's what I've always wanted."

"I'm glad you're happy, Babe. I'm glad I'm here to do all this stuff with you, too. I'm gonna miss the hell out of you while I'm gone." He had successfully killed the buzz she had going. He noticed and tried to cover. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought that up."

"It's Ok. I just kind of forgot about it today, you know? Gotta deal with it, though. Reality is what it is."

"But it's not forever, Rach," it was more than a reassurance. It was a promise.

"That's the thing that will get us through it," she said with a sad smile. "Here," she exclaimed and carefully crawled to his side of the boat, settling between his legs. "Take our picture... we'll call it 'Serenity on the Lake.'" They smiled into the camera and he took one more when she twisted her neck to kiss him." They spent a little more time on the water before returning the boat. They walked hand in hand back to the Subway to catch their train back to their new home.

Finn and Rachel stopped by the corner market across the street to pick up some food to cook and staple items. When they got home, Rachel was insistent that they get comfortable. They were changing into their pajamas when Finn caught their reflection in her full length mirror. He stepped up next to her and she met his eyes in their reflection.

"See those devastatingly beautiful young people? She used to be a girl with no friends and more talent in her little finger than her whole school combined. She got slushy facials every day and was strong enough to keep reaching for her dreams. And that tall guy beside her? He was the quarterback and he was dating the head cheerleader. He had a lot of friends and didn't even know he had talent. They ended up being thrown together in a glee club and even though it didn't make any sense, she became his very best friend. She put a song in his heart. She made him believe there was more to him than what he was living. And, before you knew it, he had fallen in love with her. Hard. He ditched the cheerleader and after some pretty serious bumps in the road, she became his whole world. Then, he was an idiot and forced her onto a train and out of his arms so that she could be the star he knew she already was. And, the girl? Well, she's a lot smarter than him because she came back and kicked his ass with her words and refused to let him go. But, he had some things to take care of and she came along for the adventure. One day, very soon, they will live happily ever after."

"Oh, Finn-" she sighed as she wiped the tears that had been falling since "tall guy beside her."

He simply kissed her head, took her by the hand, and said, "now, let's go make dinner." She responded with a sweet nod and he kissed her knuckles before leading her out of the room.

They cooked dinner together. He chopped while she sauteed. He stirred while she got the bread out of the oven. There was talking and laughter and when they sat to eat, their conversation was non stop. They crashed on the couch to throw on a movie and he woke up around 1am and realized they had fallen asleep. Tomorrow was an important day for her and she needed good rest.

"Rach?" he shook her gently and she just turned her body over to face him and cuddled into his chest.

He smiled to himself enjoying how she felt turned this way in his arms. But, forced himself to continue.

"Rachel. Wake up, Babe. Let's go to bed." Nothing. Finn gingerly removed himself from the back of the couch and crawled over her. He bent down and lifted her off the couch and into his arms. She woke up a little and held onto his neck, supporting some of her own weight. He carried her to the bed and laid her down gently before crawling in next to her.

"Sweet dreams, Finn," she murmured before falling back into her peaceful sleep.

He tightened the grip he had around her. "They're right here in my arms," he whispered and followed her into slumber.

The next morning, Friday, Rachel had to be at NYADA to officially sign in for the summer workshop. Finn opted to stay behind and hang some of the art she bought and put together the new entertainment center they had ordered. He wanted to do as much for her as he could before he had to leave, which would be on Tuesday He was needed on base to work with Duke and the military attorney on the Jennings Taylor case as well as start the appeals process for the discharge appeal. He made sure he would be around on Monday for her first day and he dreaded having to leave her after that. Because, in just a few short days, he really had begun to feel at home here with her. The city was amazing and he had no idea how small it could feel in places. He planned to have lunch ready when she got back which would be around Noon. So, he drug out the instructions to the entertainment center and started trying to decipher them. This could take awhile.

Rachel was buzzing as she walked through the doors of what would be her life for the next four years. There were people dancing in the lobby and she could hear strains of music coming from various areas around her. She saw a line of people, not too long, at a sign in table and waited patiently, holding onto the strap of her bag with both hands. Finally reaching the table, she showed the ID she had gotten on her first visit, signed the roster, and received her preparation packet. She was sent to a room with directions found on her packet. Entering the room, she suddenly felt very small. She was used to being the most talented person in every room and she was hyper aware that in this room she was on equal footing with everyone around her. However, for the first time in her life, she was welcomed with smiles and introductions, questions about where she was from and what her experiences were. No one looked at her like she was a leper. There was mutual respect among them all, including her, as artists. It felt really good. They sat through the outline for what to expect in this workshop and what the expectations were. It was going to be highly rigorous and Rachel was intimidated, particularly by the heavy dance content. But, she was so glad she came to this when invited, because this small group would have a bond that would really help her when she was here alone. They all exchanged numbers and Twitter handles and Rachel walked out of the building with a huge smile on her face. She couldn't wait to get home to tell Finn all about it.

She tried her hand at hailing a cab and was very proud of herself when the first one she waved down stopped for her. She climbed into the back seat. "64th and Broadway," she said brightly, feeling like a real New Yorker. The cab pulled into the flow of traffic and headed toward home. She made a point of watching landmarks because she needed to learn how to get around. When the cab turned the wrong way on Columbus Avenue, she wanted to argue, but thought her driver may be avoiding traffic patterns, but the farther she got away from home, the more irritated she was. This guy was just running up his fare trying to take advantage of a wide eyed midwestern girl. Well, he obviously knew nothing of Rachel Berry.

"Look, Mister, I know my way home and this isn't it. I have been very patient but you need to find the shortest route to my destination and get me there. And I not be paying you full fare. I have a smart phone and I can look up a reasonable amount and I will pay you that and that only."

The cab suddenly whipped off to the side of the road and the driver turned around to face her.

Rachel's heart began to race wildly and she lost the ability to swallow. His eyes. She knew those eyes. She knew them better than anyone because they were the same eyes she had spent three years learning by heart. Her breath came in gasps and it was in between them that she managed to squeak, "Mr. Hudson?"

**I'll leave you to your screaming. Review?**


	22. Chapter 22

**Well that was a total shit storm! You guys made me laugh at your reactions! Thank you so much for your enthusiasm! I swear it's the people reading this that are making me so happy!**

**I am sorry... I meant to have the next chapter up by this morning but I had to take my laptop to the Apple store for an update. Sooooo... the wait is over! Let me introduce... Christopher Hudson!**

She panicked. She tried not to, but to no avail. Her air came in gulps and she desperately grasped at her chest. This couldn't be happening. She was hit with a barrage of mental questions that came in rapid succession. Is this really happening? Does he know who I am? If he does, how? And how did he know where to find me? And, again, if so, what does he want with me? Is he being followed? Oh my God, are they going to find him? Do they know he's alive? Do I need to warn Finn?

Finn. Is he in danger? What is he going to say? Her darting eyes returned to the hazel ones still focused on her calmly.

"It's OK, Princess, calm down," he said quietly, and she was taken by the kindness in his voice. he does know me, she thought. His hand reached over the barrier between them to close over her hand. Her eyes dropped to see their hands joined on her lap. Finn's hand. He has his Dad's hands. She brought her eyes back up to the face of the man who gave her the love of her life. And, THAT'S where the half grin came from. Wow. Gathering her composure, she finally spoke.

"I don't understand," she was shaking her head in minute little movements. "What are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be hiding somewhere or something. I mean, to see you, alive, it's beyond incredible, surreal actually, but my only concern is-"

"My son," he finished for her.

She took a moment to assess his expression. It was one of pride, and sadness, and longing all at the same time. Her heart broke for him. She could see the pain that living without his family had caused him.

"Yes. Finn. Is he safe with you out in the open like this?" She whispered as if there were anyone else in the car with them.

"I wouldn't be here if he wasn't." He lowered his eyes to drive the point home. "I promise." Christopher Hudson was patient with Rachel, letting her take all of this in and sort through it a little. He watched her with an almost amused expression, knowing what something like this must do to a person.

She accepted this with a nod. "So," she paused, trying to sort through the haze to find her next thought. "Um... not that it bothers me or anything... and no offense at all, Sir...but why am I sitting in the back of a cab in New York City talking to my fiancee's presumed dead father?"

And he reacted in a way she never would have guessed. He laughed. Loudly. And, it somehow lightened the tight feeling in her chest enough for her to giggle a little bit herself. And she watched him in awe of how much of the man she loved she saw in the man in front of her. "This is amazing. He is so much like you." She shook her head, wonderstruck.

"Yeah?" he asked.

She simply nodded with a sympathetic smile. "But, really, why are we here?"

His eyes moved to look out the passenger window before he spoke. "I have to see my boy, Princess."

The way he called her that warmed her heart. He said it like a Dad. He said it affectionately. Like, in another reality, where he was in Finn's life, she would be the daughter he never had.

"But-"

"Look, Finn was never supposed to know I'm still kicking. Thinking I was six feet under was something definite for him. Unquestionable. And I lived with that to keep him safe, but then you two blew that all to hell," he chuckled. "And, I don't want him to know I'm out there somewhere and never get any closure. I gotta see him. Even just once. And he needs to see me. And that's where you come in."

"Me?" she said, wiping stray tears from her cheeks.

"I can't contact him directly. I never know who's gonna be listening or tracking. Sure, they aren't exactly looking for me, Army made sure they thought I was gone for good, but I can't risk anything hen it comes to my family."

His face fell. His eyes dropped to the seat next to her. Something darkened his eyes that had just been full of hope and humor. And he searched her eyes when it dawned on him that she would have the answer to the question that had clouded his heart for eighteen years.

"How's Carole?" he asked in a voice so quiet, she almost missed it. Then he brought his sad eyes back up to meet hers.

She inhaled sharply and her heart went out to him. She was taken back by the intensity of the look on his face. She wanted to make everything better for this man. She smiled slightly and tilted her head and shifted to the front of her seat. She timidly placed her hand on his forearm that was resting in the little window between them. The corner of his mouth twitched in an effort to smile at her.

"She's wonderful. She's happy and loved. She is married to a man who worships her. He has a son, Kurt, my very best friend. And he has given Finn a real brother. You'd almost never know they weren't blood relatives," she smiled. "Carole worked so hard for so long to raise an amazing man and then, she found Burt. And she glows with happiness." She gauged his reaction, not wanting to hurt him, but wanting to reassure him.

The pain in his eyes that was so evident as she spoke left as quickly as it crossed his features. He sniffed loudly. And just like that, he was back to calm and cool. She had never seen anything like that.

"Are you OK, Mr. Hudson?" she asked with sympathy.

"Rachel," it was the first time he said her name, "I did what I did because I wanted her and Finn to have the best life possible. No fear, no running, no threat. It tore me up inside, but I didn't have the luxury of giving into it. I loved them more than myself, you know? It was about keeping them in a world that was safe. But, I never stopped loving them. Obviously, I'd never stop loving my only child, but I've thought about Carole everyday for eighteen years. Wondered what she was doing, how she was doing. I knew she was strong enough to raise our son on her own, but I hated what that meant for her. Did she ever tell you how we met?" he finished with a reminiscent smile.

Rachel simply shook her head as she cried.

"We were in high school. She worked as a waitress at this little hole in the wall pizza place over on Pine St. I had seen her around school, spoke to her in classes we had together. So, I went in there with some of my buddies and they were giving her a hard time. Well, she brought our pizza out and let's just say she had used pepperoni to give us a pretty obscene message that got my attention," he stopped to laugh with Rachel, who couldn't help herself. "I walked up to her before we left and apologized to let her know we didn't mean any harm. And she told me, and I'll never forget this, she said, 'Sometimes it's the things we don't mean that hurt the most. I thought you were different.' and walked away. I was gone. She thought I was different. I had always just gone with the flow. One of the guys. Sure, I knew they were assholes, sorry," he said realizing that was crude.

"Forgiven... go on," Rachel encouraged with a smile bursting to hear the rest and marveling at how much of this story reverberated her own.

"They were, but I didn't have the balls to stand up to them. And she called me on it. Made me think. Took my heart. So the next day at school, I found her in the cafeteria and took her by the hand. I dragged her over to the table where my buddies always sat and demanded they apologize or I'd tell all their secrets to their mothers. Then, in front of all of them and the small crowd that had gathered I apologized. And asked her out." He shrugged with a grin.

"What did she say?" Rachel was hooked.

"She turned me down flat. Thanked me for my apology and walked away. And I kept on until I got her. And I didn't let her go until I had to to save her life." His eyes were misty and he was quickly losing his resolve. "But... good to hear she's happy. She deserves it."

"Mr. Hudson, I-"

"No. It is what it is. No sense drudging up things you got not control over, darlin'"

"OK." She didn't know what to do. She felt so bad for him and after hearing that story, she felt bad for love itself. Sensing his need to change the subject, she went back to their original topic. "You were saying you need my help?" She returned his smile of gratitude.

"Yes. I can't call my son or be seen anywhere he might be living. So, I need to set up a meeting and I need you to get him there."

She considered this for a minute, trying to run over how she would even start. But, then realizing the weight of this situation, she stopped getting ahead of herself.

"Anything you need," she said seriously.

"Thank you," he said with heartbreaking sincerity before giving her instructions.

He was cursing in the kitchen when she walked through the door as was he waving his hand furiously before sucking on his fingers. Even though her heart was beating in her throat and her stomach was officially upside down, she couldn't help but giggle at him. Her giggle caught his attention and he turned in surprise. She was looking at him with her lips pressed together tightly trying to contain her laughter.

"Yeah, I suck at this," he admitted sheepishly as he walked out to greet her with a pout on his lips.

"No, babe, you don't. You are just grossly uncoordinated," she teased him gently even as she reached her arms up around his neck to hold him close. And she didn't let go. She heard his small chuckle at her over her shoulder. Having him in her arms and knowing what he was about to experience, she was actually nervous. Very nervous, in fact. He tried to move back to look at her but she held him tighter. "Not yet, OK?" she pleaded softly. He wrapped his arms further around her out of instinct. When he was finally able to peel himself out of her grasp he saw the tears in her eyes, and he got concerned.

"Rachel? What's wrong?" he was wiping tears and searching her face intently.

She sniffed and tried to get it together. "I just really missed you today?" Nice try.

"Rach- it's me. That crap doesn't work on me. Something is really upsetting you and I want to know what it is."

She stepped around him into the living room to see that he had assembled the entertainment center and set it up perfectly and she glanced at the small dining table to see it set with candles and food.

"Thank you, for all of this, Finn. It's so sweet," she said in wonder at the perfection that was her man.

"You're welcome, Rachel, but it's not going to work. Something or someone has you rattled."

Realizing she was fighting a losing battle, she sighed resignedly. "OK. Finn, can we maybe heat this up later? I am sorry. You went through a lot of trouble and I really appreciate it, but I have somewhere I need to take you right now and it's important."

He started taking small steps in her direction and turned his head slightly, looking at her from the corner of his eye. "You're kind of freaking me out right now."

She licked her lips and took a deep breath before closing the small distance between them. She put her hands on his chest, swallowed hard, and finally looked into his alarmed eyes. "I need you to stay calm when I say what I'm about to say, OK?" She received an unsure nod. She took a deep breath and let it out. "Tonight, when I left school, a cab picked me up and when the driver went the wrong way I called him on it and he pulled over to the side of the road-"

"I'll kick his ass if he did anything to you. Did he do anything to you?" Finn was ready to fight.

Her response was a nervous laugh and some soothing strokes to his arms. "No. Finn. Calm down. It's nothing like that. The driver turned around and it was... well... it was... your Dad."

The color drained. His mouth lost the muscle control needed to keep it closed. His hands fell from around her waist and he looked like he might throw up. His breathing became shallow and he looked everywhere at once. He stepped around her and stumbled blindly to the couch where he let himself fall. She rushed over to him, kneeling at his feet. Her hands came up to catch his face. "Finn. Look at me. Look at my eyes. You are going to have to stay calm, OK? Babe? Take deep breaths with me." He did as she asked because he was afraid of blacking out if he didn't. "Good. Now, he wants to see you and he found me so that I could bring you to a secure location. Are you ready for that? If not, he will just have to find me again because I don't want you to do anything you aren't read-"

"No. I want to see him." His words were monotone and broken, but she knew he was lucid.

"Ok. Come with me," and she held her hand out to him. He took it and followed her out the door.

They took a cab to one location. Got out, took another. And repeated this four more times before arriving at their destination. These were Christopher's instructions to make sure they weren't followed and so there would be different cab drivers. All rides were silent, Finn clutching Rachel's hand in a death grip that she wouldn't complain about because he needed her. They had to walk four blocks to get to the address Rachel had been given. They stopped just outside the door to what was an abandoned office building.

"Are you sure you're ready to do this?" she checked on him.

"Yeah, Rach. I've been ready for sixteen years...ever since I knew he was gone. I just... what if I don't live up to his expectations?"

"Do not piss me off right now, Finn Hudson. That man has been wanting to see you for longer than you have memories and everything about you is a reason to be more proud than any father has ever been about any son in the history or the world. You aren't going to live up to his expectation... you are going to exceed them, because you, my precious Finn, are extraordinary."

He let out a loud breath and collapsed himself onto her mouth. His kiss was full of need, it was like he was clinging to it to keep afloat. And she gave him everything he was asking for within it.

"Now, let's go meet your Dad," she said sweetly and led him through the door.

When Finn walked through the darkness he could see a light peeking out from under a closed door just ahead of him. And he knew that on the other side of that door was a man who had been an unsolved mystery his whole life. He had created a version of him inside his mind but just feet away, was the real damn thing. When he was a kid, he would wish on birthday candles and pennies thrown in wells that his Dad wouldn't be dead. That he would somehow come in and make everything better. But, that never happened. And he accepted it somewhere along the way. Now, he stood frozen in place because he was getting that wish and the unknown of it all was currently scaring the hell out of him. He looked down at Rachel. "It's OK," she whispered. He faced the door once more before turning the knob and walking through the door.

Finn saw him immediately. His Dad. He was standing with his back toward them. Finn's breath caught in his throat when Christopher turned around and he came face to face with the father he dreamed of all his life. Tears that he didn't even know were there fell down his cheeks and he let out a single sob. The emotion was returned when his father took long fast strides toward him and embraced him tightly. Rachel, in tears herself, stepped aside quietly, giving them their moment together. The embrace lasted a long time, the two men holding on for dear life. Neither wanted to let go first, afraid the dream would end and they would wake up without the other. But, Christopher finally took the initiative by letting go, only to bring his thick strong hands to either side of Finn's head. He looked his only son over, memorizing all of his features, most of which were contorted with emotion.

"You look good, Son," Christopher said with pride radiating from every part of his being.

"You too, Dad," Finn replied through broken sobs mixed with laughter.

"Think we can manage a talk?" the older man asked, trying to inject some levity.

"Yeah," was all Finn could say. Feeling his father wrap an arm around his shoulders, which was easy given that he had an inch on his son, he let himself be pulled to the chairs that were sitting around a conference table of some sort. When he sat, he realized Rachel wasn't with him and turned, looking for her. When he saw her, he held out his hand, motioning her over to them. She sat at Finn's side and held his hand while glancing at her future father in law.

"Job well done, Princess," he said to her with a wink. "Thank you."

"My pleasure," she said softly, returning her eyes to Finn who was smiling at her proudly. His Dad liked her, he could tell and for some reason, it made him love her more when he didn't think it was possible."

"You've got good taste, my boy. This one is as kind as she is gorgeous. Don't let her get away."

"Never," Finn said, still looking at Rachel before turning to stare at his father. He couldn't find more words. He just tried to keep his heart rate from running away.

"It's a lot, Son, I know. But, when I found out you knew, I just couldn't let you go through life wondering. At least when you thought I was dead you could wonder without hope of ever having it happen. We can't have forever, but we can have a little while and in my book that's a hell of a lot better than nothing."

Finn nodded. "It is."

"Well, we got the rest of tonight to catch up and ask questions. You up for it?" There was a twinkle in the older Hudson's eyes.

"More than ready," Finn said mirroring the same twinkle.

**OK... hopefully you have gotten some satisfaction. I almost ended it before they went in, but I couldn't do that to you! I can't wait to write what happens next! But, I can sleep well knowing that Finn and his Dad are together! Review, Review, Review... it's the wise thing to do! :)**


	23. Chapter 23

**Never Fear! We aren't through with Christopher Hudson! I just thought it was a good place to break and go to bed! **

**As I have said sporadically throughout this piece, I don't own these people... sadly enough... but I love the hell out of making up stuff for them to do!**

Laughter filled the small room that held two and a half Hudson's. It had taken awhile for everyone to relax enough to even begin a conversation, but when they finally did, it felt very natural. Finn asked questions. Christopher asked questions. Finn told stories. Christopher told stories. Finn and Rachel told the short version of their story and his Dad's eyes warmed at their tale of young love. He filled his Dad in on many things that had happened to him in his lifetime.

"Son, I'm sorry I wasn't around to let you know how babies are made. Could have saved you a lot of heartache," his Dad teased.

"Look, I knew **how** they were made, I just wasn't clear on the... exceptions," he blushed.

Rachel chimed in. "If you had ever told me you didn't actually have sex with her, I could have helped out a lot."

"You never asked," he said pointedly, nudging her in the side.

"Not something I wanted to talk about, really," she grinned back and he brought his arm around her to hug her.

"Well, Son, it looks like you did something right. You look at that girl like she shines like diamonds," Christopher observed.

"Brighter," was Finn's reply as he took in his Rachel.

"Good to see you with the love of a good woman," he said before getting a far off look that took him some place else. Some place he missed.

"You miss her?" Finn asked with a tremble in his voice. He knew they would come around to the topic eventually but it didn't mean he had been looking forward to it.

"Your Mom? Everyday," he nodded sadly.

Finn swallowed hard and looked to Rachel for support or words or anything that would help him know what to say next.

"She used to talk to you every night," he started quietly. "Tell you about her day, ask for advice. She loves you a lot. But, she's really happy now. Burt is great. You'd like him. And, I fought her on being with him. I was a total ass about the whole thing. When she told me she was seeing you, I acted like I was going to flush your ashes down the toilet... speaking of... who is in that-"

"Don't ask," Christopher said.

"Gotcha," Finn continued, "Then I wouldn't let her get rid of your chair because it was the chair you were sitting on in the only picture I have of us together."

Chris dug down into his pocket, pulling out his wallet. "This one?" he asked.

Finn looked down at the same picture he had looked at all his life. This one was tattered and faded, but there they were. He looked back up to see what might have been moisture forming in his father's eyes.

"Looked at it everyday for almost eighteen years," he said with gravel in his voice. The two men shared a meaningful look before Christopher cleared his throat and got them back on track.

"Well, it wasn't the best thing to do to your Mom. Glad you got around to supporting her. She deserved it."

"Yeah, she did. She's an awesome Mom," finn said with reverence. Then, thinking, he said, " what am I supposed to tell her? About you, I mean? I feel like not telling her is lying to her face and I can't lie to her, D-" he paused, not having gotten used to saying the word out loud yet. "Dad. It will kill me to keep it a secret."

"You can't tell her I'm alive if that's what you're getting at. The only reason you two know is because you stumbled on it on your own. It's not that I don't trust her, but it would upheave her whole life and I can't let that happen. I've worked to hard and given up too much to let that happen. So, you have to look at it as doing what's best for her no matter what it costs you," he finished seriously.

Finn looked to his right at the person who knew better than anyone that he was more than capable of that kind of gesture.

"I can do that," he said softly, squeezing her hand. And a thought occurred to him that hadn't in awhile. "You said Rachel and I stumbled across you... a box was delivered to the apartment I've been keeping in Georgia. No address. Just my name. I have been so caught up in knowing you're alive and taking down that douche bag doctor psycho that I forgot. Do you know where it came from?"

Christopher smiled a little smile. "Came from me."

"What?" was the reaction from both the young people in front of him.

"Well, the picture was a slip up. A HUGE slip up. I had no idea that was in there. Thought it had been combed over pretty good by the idiots in charge. But, when Duke got the message to me about what you were doing, I had to help you. Son, nobody in my whole life has ever shown that kind of diligence for me before. I was so touched and honored. So, I had Duke retrieve that box from the warehouse he and I had kept it in. It was all of the stuff we never got to submit."

Finn grinned. "Sneaky." And he received a grin in return.

"Finn, I want to thank you for what you've done. You have no idea how much it tortured me that I was given that dishonorable discharge. And I couldn't even appeal it because I had to drop off the radar. You will never know the gift it will be to have my name restored. And, Rachel, thank you for helping my Son. We may not ever sit down together for Christmas dinner, but having you for a daughter-in-law will be an honor in itself."

She wiped tears and clung to Finn's arm. "Thank you, so much. That means more to me than you will ever know."

"Dad, I spent my whole life making up a version of you in my head. You were like G.I. Joe, you know? Like, this legend of a man and I never thought I would ever live up to that. I thought you had died in battle."

"Wait.. what?" Christopher stopped him with a raise hand and a perplexed look.

"Yeah. That's what she told me because she didn't want me to think you overdosed and were a druggie and stuff. She wanted me to have the image of you she did. A good man."

"Damn it, Carole. That woman is something else," he smiled sweetly and wiped a tear before it could fall.

Finn let his Dad have the moment, not knowing what else to do about it and then continued. "Then, I mentioned talking to a recruiter and Mom told me about the drugs and everything so I wouldn't do it just because you did and it really messed me up. I knew there had to be more to the story because what I had heard about you and that image just didn't go together. I'm really glad I did," Finn choked up at the end.

"So am I, Son, so am I. I'm just sorry I missed seeing you grow up. Saw you graduate, though,"

he said slyly.

"I heard. How did you pull that off?"

"International Man of Mystery. I stayed in the back. Didn't want to run the risk of laying eyes on your Mom. Couldn't have handled that. But I saw you sing. And play the drums. You're really good, Kid. Better than me."

"I heard you sang, wondered where I got it. Sure wasn't Mom," he laughed.

His Dad joined him, "No, that's for damn sure!" They shared a laugh at their mutual knowledge of the woman they both adored.

"Why don't the two of you sing something? Together," came a quiet suggestion from Finn's right side.

Christopher's eyes landed on Finn's. They warmed immediately. "I'd love that. You?"

Finn wiped a stray tear. "Absolutely."

They decided on the Beatle's since it was a group they both knew well. Rachel suggested 'Yesterday' and they agreed. They had to go acapella, but with Rachel's perfect pitch giving them a starting off place, it was fine. The blend of their voices was incredible, as was normal with relatives, and the words to the song were so appropriate. Father and Son filled the song with passion and emotion and it was quite possibly the most beautiful sound any of them had ever heard. It ended in tears and Christopher and Finn stood to embrace each other.

"I love you, so much, Son. Don't ever doubt that," Chris said and patted Finn's back.

"I love you,too, Dad."

It was going on 2am and though, they knew it had to come to an end eventually, nobody wanted to be the first to admit it.

"I'm proud of you. You have become a good man. In fact, you look like you've got a pretty good life ahead of you. It's all I ever wanted. I remember holding you the night you were born. Your Mom was asleep and it was just the two of us guys. I started to sing to you and you opened your eyes and stared right into mine. I knew then that there wasn't anything I wouldn't do for you. Now, I have to go. But, I have set up a system with Duke where we can send things back and forth securely. I want you to know that you aren't in any danger. You are both safe and so is your Mom, as long as the rest of the world thinks I'm a dead man. But, I will keep tabs on you like I always have. And, who knows? Maybe we will get to chat from time to time. The important thing is that you know that in my book, you're my hero." He pointed his finger into Finn's chest and smiled.

"Dad," Finn clutched his father with a sob.

"It's OK, Kiddo. We will always have this night. And you have a young lady over there that is going to give you your own family some day. Then you'll understand all of this a lot more clearly." He pulled away from Finn, clutching him at the sides of the head again, forcing Finn to make eye contact through his tears. Finn nodded. Christopher turned his attention to the small girl who had taken a step back to let them have their moment. He reached for her and embraced her around the shoulders and her arms wrapped around his waist.

"Princess, thank you, again, for getting my boy to me. For taking care of him. Keep it up. And you make him take care of you. Then, some day, you make my pretty grandbabies, OK?"

"Yes, Sir," she said, as she cried as well, her eyes on the man she loved who was looking on with pride.

"Alright, you two. I gotta split,"

He took Rachel's hand and led her over to Finn. He put an arm around each of them. He handed Finn a gold key and a card with directions written on it. "I have set up this safety deposit box at this location. I want you to check it tomorrow. It's important. And Finn? Give your Mom this letter. Tell her about yours that I left with Duke, and tell her I left one for her, too. It will help you keep our secret and might make her feel good, too." He handed Finn an envelope.

"I will," Finn said, knowing that goodbye was coming but not really wanting it to. "I hope I get to sing with you again some time."

"Me, too, Son. I love you." Christopher said before walking to the door.

"I love you,too," Finn said and watched his Dad disappear into the New York night.

Rachel came up beside him and held him tightly around the waist. "You OK?" she asked quietly.

"I'm more than OK, Rach. I got to meet my Dad," he said with pure wonder.

The ride home was silent. They couldn't really talk about what had just happened and their minds were so filled with it that they couldn't really come up with anything else to say. Entering their apartment, Rachel led the way through the door, the smell of Finn's now cold dinner still lingering in the air. She felt his hand stop her and pull her back to him and, kicking the door shut with his foot, he brought his lips down on hers, cradling her face in his hands. It was a breathtaking kiss, one that brought Rachel up on her toes to get a better piece of. Finally released, she worked to catch her breath.

"What was that for?" she asked genuinely.

"For introducing me to my Dad. For being my family," he smiled down at her with adoration.

"It was an honor," she kissed him quickly before kicking off her shoes and continuing to the couch. "God, Finn, when he turned around in that cab, I thought I would hyperventilate. But, seeing you two together? That will be a memory I will cherish for the rest of my life. And hearing you guys sing?"

"I know," he said. "It was pretty awesome." Finn laid back on the couch, pulling Rachel with him. "It's gonna take me awhile to process it all. But, I feel really good, Rach."

"I'm so glad, Finn." She nestled her head down onto his chest, kind of tucked up under his chin.

And that's how they woke up the next morning.

Rachel snuck out the next morning without waking Finn. She still had the workshop to go to and although her late night had her exhausted, she had no choice but to suck it up and give it her all.

Finn woke up a few hours later to find her note.

_Had to go to school. Don't forget your super secret errand. I love you._

_Rachel Berry_

She still signed her last name. And she still stuck on the star. God, he loved her.

Finn was so excited upon remembering his Dad's instructions he opted out of a shower and a shave and just stayed in his clothes from last night. He did go to brush his teeth and was intoxicated by the still present scent of Rachel Berry. He loved how the bathroom smelled after her showers. He wished she was going with him. He was a little nervous about what he was going to find.

He arrived at the bank and entered through the revolving glass doors. He stood in line and finally reached the teller, asking her to visit his safety deposit box. She found someone to escort him to the vault and once inside, he found the correct number and pulled out the drawer. He sat it on the metal table in the center of the room and took a seat to look through it. Inside was only one canvas bag. It was large and bulky. Finn opened it up and gasped and sputtered upon finding stacks of cash bundled in rubber bands along with a letter. Dumbstruck, he pulled it out to read.

_Son,_

_When I heard that you had discovered the truth, I was worried at first. Then I was so happy because I knew I might get the chance to see you at least one more time. But, more than that, I was excited to be able to do something I have always wanted to but never got the chance to do. See, I have been paid all this time. By the military, covertly. I have had jobs here and there, and I have saved up quite a nest egg. The thing is, I don't need all of it, and it has always hurt me that I couldn't help you out with school. So, take this. It's $50,000. I figure, that will pay for a good education. Take it straight to the savings department and store it in an account. I know you will do big things, Finn. Follow your dreams and make sure they are big ones. _

_Dad_

Finn couldn't feel his hands. Or his feet. His air was insufficient. When he finally was able to move, he followed his father's instructions. His mind raced with possibilities and what this would mean for him. He no longer needed a scholarship to anywhere. He just needed to get in. He was only going to be limited by himself. And, suddenly, he felt like that wasn't going to be a problem. He could take on the whole world. He didn't even question his next move. He went straight to her. There was only one person he could share this with and he was so thankful for her presence in his life.

Rachel was surprised to see Finn sitting in the lobby when she finally got to leave. He stood when he saw her and she ran to him and he spun her when he caught her. "Finn! What are you doing here?"

"Well," he said with a sly grin, "I have something to show you." He pulled out his deposit slip and the letter from his Dad and handed them over to her.

She took them, eyeing him curiously. Her eyes widened when she saw the amount and returned up to his. She then read the letter silently and her shock registered all over her face.

"Is this for real?" she asked, knowing that it was, but still unable to believe it.

He just shook his head with a huge smile on his face.

And she threw herself around him. "Finn! I am so happy for you. This just opens up all the doors. There is nothing you can't do!"

"You know what, Rach? I may be starting to believe that."

**So... there is a lot of story to tell with Christopher and with Carole, but I am just focusing on the Finchel of it all right now. Who knows what stories I might tell later. I hope you liked it. I hope I did it some justice. Reviews are like potato chips... one is never enough! :)**


	24. Chapter 24

**Well... I'm glad you seemed to like that one. I think we have two or three chapters left of our adventure. I am going to miss this story, but it can't go on forever and I have so many other ideas that I want to share with y'all! Thank you so much for your encouragement and for your sweet words! They have pushed me to finish this thing! It has made the time pass more quickly until we get our show back! **

"Call me as soon as you land," she said, as she looked away from him and wiped a stray tear from her sad brown eyes.

"Rach-" he paused to turn her face to him with his fingertips, "I'm coming back. This isn't like last time. I am going down there, I am going to do whatever it is I have to do, and I am coming back to you. There is no unknown. It's gonna happen."

"I know. I just got use to having you with me all the time," she stepped closer to him and played with his collar between her fingers. "At dinner, in the bathroom, in my bed." Her eyes met his and whether or not she meant that as seductively as he took it, it did things to his body not at all appropriate for the lobby of an airport. He tried to kiss her until it went away, but that only made it worse.

"I better go," he whispered. "because I'm well on my way to getting us thrown out of here."

She smiled as much as she could muster and nodded. "Good luck out there," she said.

"I love you," he returned.

She watched him on the elevator until he reached the top and turned around, waved grandly, and began yelling.

"I love you Rachel Barbra Berry! I'll be home soon!"

She fell into laughter. "I love you, too! I'll be waiting!"

She could see him laughing as he turned and disappeared from sight.

He sen her a text when he landed and called when he got in and settled into bed.

"This apartment feels empty without you here, Babe," he said quietly as he lay staring into the darkness.

"I know the feeling," she mumbled, as she lay in their bed a thousand miles away, he fingers toying with his pillowcase.

"We just have to keep telling ourselves it's temporary. You were probably getting sick of me anyway. The break will be good for you," he tried to tease.

"This is true. You are so high maintenance," she chuckled.

"Right. You would know. You are the expert on high maintenance," he said and laughed when he heard her exaggerated huff on the other end. "So, what's in store for you tomorrow at NYADA? Got a workshop on dramatic pauses or something?" He was kidding and she knew it.

"Nope, tomorrow it's on choosing the right bottled water," she quipped back.

"Thrilling. Well, I have to go meet with Duke. The lawyers are looking to settle Dr. Demento's case and some of the terms are that the records of the names he tarnished be reviewed. So, we'll see."

"Don't you let him off easily, Finn. Make him pay. You have come this far and your Dad is so proud already. Does that sound weird?" she asked realizing her use of present tense.

"It sounds awesome," was all he said. He had to get used to the fact that this knowledge couldn't be a part of his every day conversation. He had to push it far back in his mind. It wasn't easy, but he knew it was critical. "And I will make that bastard pay, believe me. For what he did to my Dad and for hurting you."

"It was a small cut, Finn, no damage done," she shrugged it off.

"My ass. You were bleeding. Nobody makes you bleed without getting it from me." He said with such fierce protectiveness that it made her belly clench.

"Thank you. You have always been and will always be my hero."

"God I wish you were here. Or if i'm cashing in wishes, I wish I was there."

"Me, too," she said quietly.

"You better get some sleep. Why don't you call me when you get out of class tomorrow?" He was loving. Gentle.

"Finn? I have something ridiculous to ask you but I'm going to ask it anyway," she said timidly. "Can we just leave our phones on tonight? Our calls to each other are free and we can set our alarms or something. Whoever wakes up first ends the call. But, it will make me feel like you're here, sort of."

He smiled and fought against the mist forming around his eyes. "Sure, Rach," he whispered, placing his phone on the empty pillow next to him. "Sweet Dreams."

"Sweet Dreams, Finn. I love you."

"I love you, Rachel. So much."

The next week passed quickly. Finn met with military officials and attorneys. They were able to take Rachel's statement by phone and given the solid evidence, didn't think she would have to come testify. Finn and Rachel made a routine of talking every night and sleeping with their phones on and Finn made the comment that they were really getting their money's worth out of their calling network plan. They were both glad to be very busy so they didn't have much time to concentrate on how much they missed each other. Another full week passed before it was determined that a settlement would not be reached and a trial date was set. Finn just really wanted this part behind him. Because, after Taylor was behind bars, he could get started on reversing his Dad's status and get his ass back home to Rachel where it belonged. The trial was set to start in two weeks, the beginning of September. In those two weeks, Duke and Finn got everything lined up for their appeal and it looked as if all they needed was a conviction to get exactly what Finn had come for all those months ago. And it was then that Finn decided to make the call he had been dreading the most.

"Hey, Mom," he said soberly.

"Finn, Honey. It is so good to hear your voice. That texting business is just not enough," she said, happy to speak with her son.

"Yeah. I'm sorry. A lot going on." _Like meeting the Dad that you think is dead but isn't._

"You have news. I can tell. What is it?" she asked with concern in her tone.

"Well, there's a trial date. And it looks like Dad's status will be changed once we get a conviction," he said, leaving out life changing information.

His words were met with silence and he squeezed his eyes shut tight when he heard her crying softly.

"Finn, I am so proud of you. You are nothing short of incredible."

He decided to try to lighten the conversation and said, "They say 9 out of 10 kids get their awesomeness from their Mom's, so..."

She laughed. That's what he wanted to hear. "Ok... point taken. So, when is the trial?"

"First week of September. Um, Mom, do you think-"

"I wouldn't miss it, Finn," she said, reading his mind. "How's Rachel? Or better yet, how are you without Rachel?"

He let out a soft chuckle. "I miss the hell out of her, to be honest. But, she's doing her thing and I'm doing mine and then I'm going home to her. This summer has proved to me that I don't hinder her. We are an amazing team and we are able to give the space to grow and change. I love her and I love whoever she will become."

"That, Finn Hudson, you get from your Dad," Carole said.

Finn swallowed hard. He wasn't ready for his Dad to be brought up. Not like that.

"Thanks." He wanted to tell her about their letters and the money, but he wasn't sure what the story would be on that and he wanted to consult with Duke first.

"That's my job," she said. "Tell Rachel I send my love. I love you. See you soon."

"Love you,too, Mom."

And they hung up. Keeping this from her would be so hard, but knowing she was safe and that her world wasn't going to get ripped to shreds made it easier.

The day the trial started, Finn paced back and forth in the lobby of the courthouse. It's marble walls and tile amplified each step. He took his suit jacket off. He put it back on. He fidgeted with his tie. He was a nervous wreck. His Mom and Burt just sat there watching him, unable to calm him down.

"Honey, you have got to get it under control. It's going to be fine. Your lawyer says you have a foolproof case. Find whatever makes you calm and breathe."

And as if on cue, he heard the familiar clicking of little high heeled shoes and turned his head in the direction of the sound. And there she was, smiling at him so brightly at him in her little black suit with the short skirt and a pair of red heels that he had already registered plans for.

"Rachel." He stated her name and took only a few long strides to get to her. She jumped up to hug his neck and he held her as if his life depended on it.

"I wasn't going to miss this, Finn. We are a team, remember? Would Batman leave Robin in his time of need?" she asked lightly.

"We have been over this, I'm Batman," he insisted to the rolling of her eyes, "thank you so much for coming. I would have never asked but I really need you."

"I know. It's why I'm here," she smiled sweetly and readjusted the tie he had fidgeted crooked.

"What about school?" Finn suddenly panicked for her.

"Your lawyer sent a subpoena just in case and I turned it in. They were very understanding."

A deep voice called from inside the courtroom, "Mr. Hudson, we are ready to begin."

Rachel reached out and took his hand. "Let's do this," she said intensely, bringing a big smile out of him. And just like that, he was totally at ease. She was like his Valium.

The four of them entered the courtroom and Finn went to the prosecutor's table. Burt, Carole, and Rachel all took seat directly behind him. When Jennings Taylor was escorted to the defense table, Rachel reached forward to rub Finn's back, seeing the hairs stand up on the back of his neck. Taylor looked over and smiled at him and when he waved to Rachel, Burt had to use a stronger tactic to keep him in his seat. Luckily, Finn's Aunt Lisa skittered in, diverting his attention.

"Hey Flipper! Can't wait to see this Dude go down!" she was smiling as usual. "Carole!" she said, taking Finn's mother into her arms, "you look amazing!"

"Thanks, Lisa. This is my husband, Burt," Lisa and Burt exchanged pleasantries before Lisa caught sight of Rachel.

"And here is my beautiful new best friend! I didn't know you'd be here," she hugged Rachel tightly.

"It was sort of a last minute decision. Couldn't leave him to do this without me," Rachel said, glancing at Finn.

"Good call," Lisa said. "And, I brought a friend."

Rachel turned around to see Margot in all her technicolor glory. "Baby, get over her. Have you lost weight?" She hugged Rachel and made her giggle.

"No, Ma'am," Rachel replied, "you just want us all thick, don't you?"

"Only skinny I think is natural is dippin', Darlin!"

"And, Finn, Damn, Handsome, don't you look clean up nice? If I was only fifty years younger..."

"I'd still belong to Rachel, Ms. Margot," he said flirtatiously, flashing a dimple.

"I think I can take her," she whispered.

"Hey, now!" Rachel called to her, winning her a kiss on the cheek that she was sure left a hot pink lip print.

Rachel laughed in adoration of this woman she had come to love. She made the introductions and they all settled. Duke entered from the front of the room, and upon seeing Carole, warmed significantly.

"Duke Collins," Carole said affectionately.

"You look beautiful, Carole. You must be Burt?" he said extending his hand, "Duke Collins. I'm an old buddy of Christopher's. I hear great things about you from the kids here," he said.

"Thanks. Glad to meet you, " Burt said, obviously touched by the reputation Finn and Rachel had awarded him.

The pounding of the judge's gavel broke the reverie. "All rise, this court is now in session, the Honorable kathleen Wade presiding."

As they sat, Finn looked back to Rachel for reassurance.

"He can't handle the truth," she whispered, lightening the mood.

Finn shook his head and smiled. He turned his attention back to the action. This was it. Part of his dream was about to come true.


	25. Chapter 25

**OK... I am sorry it has taken so long to update. I have missed you guys! I am a teacher and, unfortunately, this is the time of year when real life begins to rear it's ugly head! I wasn't originally going to write the trial, then I tried to because people wanted it, but I just didn't know enough about the process to make it believable. So, you aren't getting the whole trial, just part of it. I'm sorry. Hopefully I make up for it in "other ways." If it hadn't before, it is probably gonna need a rating adjustment. ;) **

"All rise... you may be seated."

The questioning phase hadn't lasted long because the case was pretty open and shut. With the evidence Rachel and Finn had uncovered, along with Duke's and the MP's eyewitness testimonies, there wasn't a lot left to argue. So, now they stood, waiting to hear the judge read the verdict.

"...On the charge of falsification of military records: Guilty. On the charge of illegal distribution of a prescription drugs: Guilty. On the charge of assault and battery in the third degree: Guilty..."

With every announcement, Finn could feel his heart filling up to overflowing. He had done it. He had gotten justice for his father. And now, he would walk away with an honorable discharge with Christopher Hudson's name on it. He turned to find Rachel beaming at him. He could see her elation. He could see her pride. He could see his future. "We did it," he whispered when he bent down to hug her tight.

"I was just along for the ride," she whispered back. "And you are that much closer to annoying me again with the toilet seat. And I can't wait!"

"Look before you sit, Rach, is all I'm saying," he said with a smirk making her laugh before kissing her with purpose. He broke from her only because he could feel his Mom staring at them, waiting her turn.

"Finn, I am so proud of you, honey!" she said, bringing her arms up and lowering him so she could hold him. "Your Dad would be so thrilled." She spoke so tenderly and Finn fought every natural instinct he had not to tell her he knew firsthand how his Dad felt about it. "She's safe," he kept telling himself. He shook it off, again, had to get used to it eventually. He gave hugs and hand shakes to his support team and the gavel pounded against the hard wood of the judge's bench, bringing all attention to the front of the court room.

"Sentencing will begin at 8am tomorrow morning. Defendant is to remain in custody until that time. Court is adjourned."

Finn looked over at "Dr." Jennings Taylor. His cold eyes were laser focused not on Finn, but on Rachel. Finn's protective instinct kicked in and he pulled her close to his side. A shiver went through her as she tried to remove herself from under his stare by folding into the safety of her Finn and turning her face away. Finn's eyes remained locked on the man and when Rachel snuck a glance at him, the expression on his face was feral. She had never known him capable of the wild hatred he was showing in his eyes. She didn't like it. Appreciated that it was his protectiveness over her shining through, but didn't like this look of rage. It just didn't suit him. She reached up with her hand and gently pulled his face away from the object of his fury and onto her loving face. "Let it go, Finn," she whispered as she stroked his cheek, "he can't hurt any of us anymore." Finn's eyes closed and she kept rubbing his face lightly with her fingertips until she felt the tension release from his jaw. His body relaxed but his hold on her grew tighter. He nodded, eyes still closed, and when he opened them, Jennings Taylor was gone. He bent down and placed a kiss on her forehead as she leaned herself into it and let her body melt into his even more.

After a celebratory dinner with everyone, Finn and Rachel opted to spend some time alone. Burt and Carole headed to their hotel and Lisa was catching up with Margot with a sleepover next door. All of them would reconvene at the courthouse for the sentencing hearing, but for tonight, they all just wanted to relax.

When they got to their little apartment, Rachel was craving a shower after traveling all day and she made a beeline for it. Finn flopped back on the couch with a huge sigh. He was sitting up with his feet on the coffee table and his head falling behind him on the back of the couch. He rested both arms over his face and let his body relax. He was just about to drift into sleep when he heard his name.

"Congratulations, Finn," she said in a purr that caused him to lower his arms and raise his head slowly trying to burn the image in front of him into his brain so he could access it everyday for the rest of his forever.

Rachel stood just to the side of his knees wearing a black, lace cami that hugged her body well and showed every curve along with skin that peeked through the sheer fabric. Her breasts were enhanced by the push up bra that was built into it. It was accented with red satin that ran across the top drawing attention to the cleavage it created. He let his eyes travel downward and saw that the black stretch lace stopped high on her thigh and there were garter belts holding up her black sheer stockings. Her hair fell in soft curls down her back and the red heels he had made plans for earlier were boosting her height.

Finn sat up slowly, afraid that if he moved too fast his dream would be over and she would disappear. His legs came down one at a time and he swallowed so hard it made his throat hurt. His eyes never left hers as his hands came up slowly to rest at her waist. She smiled down at him and he pulled on her gently to bring her between his legs. Her hands automatically found their home in his hair and it caused his eyes to flutter closed briefly and a soft moan to escape his throat. When his eyes opened again, the darkness inside them sent shockwaves through Rachel's body because she was staring into eyes that lusted for her. He let those eyes wander away from hers to watch his own hands snake from her waist to the sides of her hips and around to her rear where he let his fingers squeeze the flesh underneath them. When he did, he flicked his eyes back up to catch hers lightly closed and, seeing her aroused by his touch shot fire through his belly. His hands traveled lower to rub the backs of her thighs and he plucked the garter belts, snapping them lightly. They both smiled.

"Where did this come from?" he barely managed to ask with a husky voice as his eyes took all of her in hungrily.

"The mall we stopped at on the first day of our road trip. I bought it thinking it would be something fun to surprise you with this summer, but it never felt like the right time. So, I thought it would make a fitting congratulatory gift. What do you think?" she asked, spinning to give him the full effect before returning to his personal space.

He rasped out a little chuckle, "can't really think much right now at all, actually," he said. His hands slid back up to hold her tiny waist and she reached down to place her hands over the top of them.

"Then don't," she whispered. And that was all it took. He pulled her roughly into his lap and his mouth was on hers before her ass hit his legs. The fingers of his left hand buried themselves in her dark chocolate hair and his palm rested against her cheek. She brought her hand up to grip his wrist and returned his kiss with so much passion she lost herself in it. She broke the kiss and stood slowly, fisting his tie in her fingers and wrapping it around her hand. The look of pure wanton lust in his eyes intensified and she pulled him up off the couch using the tie she was clenching. She turned to lead them to their bedroom, tie in hand, dragging him along behind her.

She was surprised to find herself suddenly pinned to the wall in the hallway when the view of her back side became to much for him. Her leg instinctively wrapped around his hip and he held it against him with his hand. His mouth was insistent on her neck and her hand didn't release the tie, instead, she used it as a way to bring him even closer. His hands found their way under the thin lace that was covering her body and when he came into contact with her soft skin, she let her free hand wander down the front of his pants. "Uhn," he grunted and his head fell heavy on her shoulder, lacking the strength to hold it up. She smiled triumphantly, as she slid her hand rhythmically up and down and turned her lips to his ear. "Let's go," she whispered.

She led him to sit on their bed, and after kissing him soundly, she began to slowly remove the tie herself. He didn't make a sound, except for his labored breathing, just watched her face as she undressed him. Her eyes were focused on the task at hand and then they bore into his own as she skillfully untangled the knot of his tie and then used it again, leaning down slightly, to bring his face to hers for a searing, wet kiss before tossing it to the side. Next item scheduled to fall was his white dress shirt. She crouched in front of him then hit him with a seductive grin before kissing each patch of skin she exposed with the with each button, following each kiss with a flick of her tongue. She leaned forward and peeled the shirt off of his shoulders and watched as his head fell all the way back to look up at her with eyes that were heavy with his persistent need for her. Her face came within kissing distance and he lifted his chin to catch her mouth, but she moved away and shook her head silently, biting her lip and causing an all out riot in his about to explode pants. She watched her own hands as they made their way down his neck, across his shoulders, and let her fingertips graze the skin on his heaving chest. Meeting his eyes, she took two steps backward and gripped the bottom of her lingerie, moving to pull it over her head when Finn's hands shot out and stopped her.

"Leave it on. Please," he asked shyly. She tilted her head and raised an eyebrow, drawing laughter from him while he blushed shamelessly. She made a move to remove her red high heels. "Those, too," he mumbled, causing her to giggle out loud and him to chuckle a little as well.

He recovered his seriousness quickly, though, before waggling his index finger at her, "C'mere." Taking slow purposeful steps, she didn't stop moving when she reached him. She, instead, raised one knee over his lap followed by the other, pushing him down while crawling over him and stopping when she was astride his hips. He focused on her face as she explored his abdomen with her fingertips. Her eyes were hot with lust and he felt like a freaking king under her heated gaze. She caught his stare and he licked his lips that had suddenly become so dry. She held his eyes with hers in silence for just seconds.

"Finn, you are so gorgeous. Touching your body like this makes me feel things I have no control over and I love you so much," she said almost timidly and the combination of her words and her shy smile were too much for him.

His upper body shot up to meet her and he clutched her so close to his body she could have breathed for him. "I love you," he breathed on his way to finding her mouth with his own. He kissed her with abandon, hand buried in her hair, other hand gripping her ass, drawing her closer to him, before giving it the pleasure of running up her back. When his hand arrived at her shoulder, he grasped at the strap he found there and slid it languidly down her arm, following it with wet open mouthed kisses, all the while keeping his eyes on her face. A heat grew inside him as her own eyes turned black and her breathing grew heavy. He repeated the gesture on the other side and let the garment fall away from her breasts. He bit his lip as he appreciated them with his eyes, allowing himself light kisses across them while she watched him lovingly, fingers planted in his hair. He looked back up at her face and shook his head in awe of her before laying down, taking her with him, and rolling them so that she was underneath him. He continued to take his time loving her until it became too much for both of them. The rest of his clothes fell away and her black lace thong went with them.

"I want you, Rachel," he whispered, lips grazing her ear, his breath hot on her skin. He felt the skin that was on her thigh fill with goosebumps and it made his heart swell with pride.

"I... want... you... Finn," she stuttered out between deep breaths, grinding her hips into his with need.

And, then he granted her wish. And just like in one of their perfected duets, they moaned in unison, bringing wide smiles to their faces and a little giggle. Rachel lifted her hands to caress his face and he used his forearms to hold his weight off of her. Their eye contact remained unbroken until she threw her head back when her world exploded and just seeing this from her brought him into the explosion with her.

The first sound Rachel heard the next morning was Finn groaning in protest.

"I'm not doing it," he pouted. "I'm not getting out of this bed. And neither are you."

She couldn't help but smile at his obstinate behavior . "Babe, we can't skip the sentencing. You'll want to see justice served with your own eyes. So... we are going to go, but I promise that as soon as it's over, we will come right back to this spot and spend the rest of the day here, deal?"

Finn's eyes were still closed. "Will you put that back on?"

"Are you negotiating?" she asked playfully. Then, she slid one leg over his body, pulling herself up to his neck where she placed sweet kisses. "Yes, I will," her lips said against his cheek.

And she found herself almost flung to the side and he was up and in the shower before she could stop laughing.

Walking into the courtroom again, there were no nerves. There was no anxiousness. The wretch of a man was guilty and all that was left was the consequences. Finn sat between his Mom and Rachel, each woman holding his hand. Jennings Taylor was given the chance to offer an apology and he declined. The judge bristled and Finn knew it wasn't going to bode well for the man. The sentence was read and with each consequence, Finn celebrated in his heart. When all was said and done, Dr. Doom would be spending the next 15 years in prison and the 12 others he had victimized would be contacted and given the chance to press charges as well. If Taylor received the same sentence (assault charges taken out of the equation) for each of those he could be given over 100 years. Probably not, but still. He'd be in there a long damn time.

The doctor didn't show any signs of fear or worry. He carried the air of a man who had been bested at racquetball or something. He was angry and it was more over the fact that he had lost than the fact that he would have to watch his back during every shower he took for the rest of his life. He turned his glare on Finn, who straightened in his seat. Rachel looked up at his face and could see the muscles of his jaw tense as he clenched his teeth together. His eyes narrowed and then he did something unexpected. He smiled at the son of a bitch. Surprise registered on the other man's face before he was dragged away by the guards.

That's when the family celebration erupted. Finn hadn't felt that many arms on him since his last sack as a quarterback, but this was much nicer.

The first face he could actually focus on was his Mom's. "Finn, I'm so proud of you, Honey. You did what the rest of us could have done a long time ago. Guess we just couldn't dream as big as you do." His own words to Rachel hit him and right then he realized that somewhere in their journey together it was possible that she had taught him how to dream.

"I wish your Dad could have known about you fighting for him like that."

Finn's heart stopped. He was going to have to get used to keeping this secret. He looked down at the face of one of the two women that had made him who he was. Her pride radiating from it. "You know what, Mom? I think somehow, he just might've."

Tears came. Happy ones. He got hugs and accolades from Burt, Lisa, Margot, even Duke. But in the midst of the chaos, his eyes landed on the most beautiful smile he had ever seen as the face behind it peeked up at him from under his arm, where it had been since the judge's last words.

"I have never been more proud of anyone, including me, than I am of you in this moment," she said with tears threatening to fall. "You heard the word impossible and kicked it's ass, Finn. I'm starstruck."

He smiled warmly down at her, "You're the star, Rachel."

"Not today. And I'm never the only one," she said. He nodded and accepted being defeated in the best possible way. "So," she said, "was this enough to make you finally see it ?

"See what?"

"What an incredible man you are? The hero I see every single time I look at you? That you can do anything in the whole world just because you're you? That the man you are in this room right now is the same man you've been all along?"

Words failed him and with a heavy sigh, he clutched her to his chest. "Thank you, Rachel," he whispered against her hair. "Because of you, I think I'm getting a glimpse."

Her head snapped up from under his, her little hands grabbing his face and looking at him so intensely, he wondered what he had said that got him in trouble.

"No, Finn. You have got to stop saying that your greatness is all because of me. Yes, we make each other great in a lot of ways, but your heart? Who you are and what you stand for? That's all you, Babe. Own it."

"OK."

"OK?"

"I love you, Rach," he said.

"I love you right back."

**I apologize if this felt rushed or like it had holes in it. I wrote and cut and pasted and cut and wrote some more. I didn't want to make this about the courtroom or about the doctor. Nor, could I do something like that justice without hours of research that I didn't have. This is a Finchel story. I wanted to focus on them.** **We have one more chapter left... Then I start a new one. And a friend has asked for a sequel to this one which I am currently plotting out. I hope you like how this is wrapping up! Please review... it makes me smile.**


	26. Chapter 26

**Well, friends, this is the last chapter. I am so thankful to all of you who have stuck with this and encouraged me so much along the way. When I first started, it was something to get us through until September and get our minds off of the "Tragedy on the 4:25 to New York", but now, it's my passion. SO, I hope I do this story that is so precious to me justice with a satisfying end. I am currently mapping out a sequel in my head, so I hope to get it started soon and I have another shorter idea or two floating around in here! I hope you stay tuned!**

Finn sat next to Duke in metal chairs that were making his ass fall asleep, tapping a steady rhythm with his hands and feet. It wasn't until Duke nudged him not so gently with his elbow that Finn even realized he was doing it. "Sorry," he muttered apologetically.

"Why are you so nervous, kid? This is a done deal. You got that bastard, Taylor, thrown away, and in just a few minutes, you will walk out of here with what you came for. Calm down. And stop the tapping because I'm about to have to punch you in your pretty little face," Duke said with a laugh.

Finn knew why he was nervous. It really had nothing to do with the meeting going on behind the dark cherry door in front of him that would determine his Dad's discharge revision. It had more to do with what came next. The funny thing about chasing a dream is that when you catch it, you don't know what to chase after next. He had spent so many months focused with laser sharp precision on this one thing, that now he was kind of back to square one. What happens now? Sure, he actually felt like he better than maybe he had ever given himself credit for. And, yeah, he had the relief that came with knowing that the things that happened to his Dad weren't entirely Christopher's fault and didn't reflect some massive weakness in his character. And, not to mention the fact that he heard a lot about this very thing from the man himself, which was something that Finn was sure would hit him harder once he had accomplished the task at hand. But, even with all of that, the question still remained: What did Finn Hudson really want to be when he grew up? Just a few short months ago, he had been absolutely convinced that he wanted to be an actor. And that was still the thing that was at the forefront of his goals. He hadn't lost the desire to perform, to be recognized for talents he never knew he had. But, the career of acting was a broad one with many facets and he had once thought that he wasn't good enough to do what Rachel was doing, and no amount of talking on the part of Kurt, or Mr. Schue, or even Rachel had been able to make him believe that he could actually do it. But, with the issue of his Dad coming to a close, he was beginning to think maybe anything was possible and that maybe, just maybe, he could make it, too. But, the first thing he wanted to do was fly straight to John F. Kennedy International and straight on til Rachel. He hadn't seen her in the three weeks since the trial and he couldn't smell her hair through a computer screen.

Just then the cherry door opened and seven men in dress uniforms walked into the waiting area. Finn and Duke stood for the first time since they sat down an hour and a half earlier.

"Mr. Hudson," a gray haired man with steel blue eyes addressed Finn formally. "After reviewing your appeal and considering all evidence, it is our decision that the discharge of your father be revised to an honorable status. We would like to apologize on behalf of the US Military for our trouble."

He handed Finn a plain manila folder that held a new set of paperwork. His eyes filled with tears and he sniffed them back quickly.

"Thank you, Sir," was all he had to say. The group of men exchanged handshakes before the status committee went about other business.

Finn couldn't take his eyes off the papers in his hands. He read and reread and reread again the words on the page that he had worked so hard for. He had done the impossible and it felt amazing. He fished his phone out of his pocket and called the first person he wanted to share this with.

"Mom?"

"Hi honey! How did it go today?" Carole asked with apprehension.

"It's done. I am holding an honorable discharge decree in my hands for Christopher Hudson. I did it, Mom." Finn choked back tears as the realization of weight that had been lifted dawned on him.

"I'm proud of you, Finn." Carole didn't even try to hide her tears. "You are such an incredible man. Thank you. Finn. For never ceasing to amaze me."

"I'm what you made me," he returned the sentiment. "I gotta go, I have a long drive ahead of me, but I'll be home soon. I love you, Mom."

"I love you, too, Finn. I love you, too."

A firm clap on the back startled him from his thoughts as he hung up with his mother. "Well, Kid. That's that. It has been an honor meeting and working with you. I know you learned some life changing truths and they will be a heavy weight to carry, but there is no doubt in my mind that you are strong enough to carry them. Army strong," Duke said with a grin.

"Thanks, Duke. But, I couldn't have done any of this without you. You have been awesome."

"Glad to do it. Now, I suppose your next stop is the Big Apple. Am I right?" Duke asked with a knowing glint in his eye.

The smile that crossed Finn's face was big and bright. "I'm already there," he said.

Finn said his goodbyes to Duke and went back to his apartment to pack up. A knock on the door caused him to express frustration because he was anxious to start heading home.

"Hi, Ms. Margot," he greeted warmly.

"Hi, Sugar! How's the packin' comin' along?"

"Almost done, actually," Finn said, with a glance around to see if he had missed anything. He turned his attention back to the kind lady standing next to him. "Ms. Margot, I can never thank you enough for all you've done for me. I don't know what I would have done if it hadn't been for you."

"Well, I was just glad I was able to help you out. You're gonna be missed around here. You and your girl better be back to see me," she warned gently.

"We will. I don't think I will be able to keep Rachel and Aunt Lisa apart for long."

She turned behind her and handed him a plastic bag "Here. I made you some snacks you'll need for your drive. Don't want you getting' hungry," she said with a sad smile, genuinely dreading his departure.

She suddenly found herself being trapped in the arms of the precious giant she had come to adore. "Thank you so much," he said, his voice full of emotion.

"You're very welcome," she said, escaping his grasp. "So, how long til you'll be in the arms of the girl you love?"

"However long it takes me to drive to Ohio and get on a plane."

A voice from the front door replied, "how about we get you there sooner?"

Finn looked up to find his Aunt Lisa standing in the doorway and smiled at her warmly.

"Aunt Lisa," Finn said and moved to hug her as well. "What are you talking about?"

"Well, Flipper, I talked to Carole and we decided that she and I were long overdue for a visit. And, I have a lot of free time, so I thought I'd drive up and stay with her for a few days. And, then, being the brilliant person and way cool Aunt that I am, I thought I'd drive your truck back for you and you could just catch a flight out of here," she said, extending a plane ticket to her nephew. "It's my gift for what you did for our family."

She had barely gotten the end of the sentence out before being smothered by a big, broad chest.

"You are the most awesome person I have ever met," he gushed, bringing a warm smile to his aunt's face.

She pulled away a little and took his face in her hands. "Thank you. For having the vision and the courage to do what you did. You make your Dad proud." He simply nodded. "Now, you and Rachel better be skyping me weekly."

"We will," Finn promised.

"We better go! You've got a plane to catch," Lisa said, allowing Ms. Margot one more hug and a quick trip for his bags before pulling him out the door.

Rachel sat on her couch watching Into the Woods, an assignment in her Introduction to Musical Theater class that she felt was a total waste of her time as she was certain she should probably be teaching it. Her lo mein noodles had gotten cold and she was about to go reheat them when her phone rang.

"Hey handsome," she answered.

"Hey beautiful," he responded playfully. "What are you up to this fine evening?"

She couldn't help but giggle. "Watching a musical for class that I could sing in my sleep. I swear, Finn. I don't know why I can't just test out of the classes I am superior in and just focus on the ones that actually teach me something," she lamented.

"They'll recognize your brilliance soon enough," he assured her.

She smiled the smile that only Finn Hudson could get out of her. "Thanks, Finn. I miss you. How did everything go this morning?" she asked, suddenly realizing what an important day this had been for him.

"Perfect, actually," he answered. "I got the honorable discharge. My Dad's name is cleared.

A squeal came from her heart to her mouth. "Congratulations, Finn. I am so proud of you. Though, I knew you could do absolutely anything you set your mind to."

"Rachel, I'm really glad you didn't give up on me. On us. I would've understood."

There was silence on the other end as Rachel gathered her next thoughts. "After what you did for me? No one will ever love me as much as you do. You know how I know that? Because you were willing to hurt yourself to give me my dreams. I will never stop thanking you for that. And, besides, I don't give up that easily."

"I think it's 'I don't give up that easy,' Rach," he corrected.

She laughed out loud. "That's not grammatically correct, Finn."

"Care to bet on it?" His voice didn't come from the receiver. It came from directly behind her. She turned to see her Finn standing in the doorway, bags at his feet, phone to his ear, lethal smile on his face.

"I gotta go," she said into the phone before throwing it onto the couch and jumping into his waiting arms. Her legs wrapped around his waist and he steadied himself as he held her to him tightly. "What are you doing here? I thought it would be at least three more days!" she said.

He kicked the door closed behind him and carried her to the couch. He sat down, keeping her in his lap. "Well..." he kissed her fingers, "Aunt Lisa bought me a plane ticket and made me leave early. I wanted to surprise you."

"It worked. Come here," she begged, pulling him to her in a kiss that brought an immediate moan from his throat. His hands found their way around her waist and continued until they crossed each other and he pressed her against his chest with both arms. He explored her mouth with his own and the taste of her on his tongue was intoxicating.

When she finally let him up for air, he shared the events of his day and exactly how he came to be sitting beneath her at the moment.

"Does your Dad know?" she asked quietly.

A small smile crossed his face. "Probably," he said with a shrug.

Rachel looked at Finn in wonder and shook her head slightly. "I am so proud of you, Finn Hudson."

"I'm kind of proud of me,too, Rach," he finally admitted out loud.

She nodded and stroked his cheek. "Good." And a thought registered on her face. "Finn? Now that you've gotten the proverbial skeleton out of your closet, what are you going to do?"

She asked the question that had been plaguing him all afternoon.

"I mean, I know you said you wanted to be an actor, and we haven't really talked about that since..." she had to think about it, "the day you got your letter from Pace." Her voice fell at the end, hoping not to upset him.

He nodded thoughtfully. "I still do. I am just going to have to take some time to decide how that's gonna happen. And, with the money my Dad, gave me, I have the freedom to do just that. And, I have you as my secret weapon." He smiled and kissed her once more.

"We will figure it out, Finn, I promise." Her sincerity and concern for him radiated from her.

"I know," he said, believing her with all his heart.

"So, you're really here to stay?" she asked hopeful and disbelieving both at the same time.

Finn took her face in his hands and gazed at her with all the love in his heart shining through his eyes. "I'm home, Baby. I'm finally home." And he sealed his promise with a kiss. Finn didn't know what the future held in store. He didn't have the slightest clue where to even stat to figure that out, but he was absolutely certain of one thing: Here, in the arms of Rachel Berry, he was most definitely home.

**The End**

**I may cry. ****I hope I ended this one justly. Let me know your thoughts. ****I started this as a way to heal and get us through the hiatus and I feel better. I am so looking forward to Season 4 and what it holds for Finn and Rachel. This has been such a great ride. Thank you to those of you who have encouraged and reviewed and supported me. And, thanks for indulging me in true fiction. I am sad to see this one go, but excited for the next. I am working out a sequel for the future, but want to take a break and try out another Finchel story that is dying to get out! I truly hope you will look for these and go on the journey with me. **

** Mandolin**


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